Writing a product brief for the lab: don't leave these out
Work with an OEM/ODM lab or in-house R&D team and you will often hear "if only the brief were more specific." Samples bouncing back several times is often less about formulation skill and more about gaps in the brief. Here is what formulators ask for most.
Worth including every time
- Target user and occasion: who uses it, when, and for what skin concern
- Countries and channels: allowed ingredients and labeling differ by country, so decide early
- Texture in concrete terms: instead of "light", give a reference like "less sticky than product A"
- Must-have and must-avoid ingredients: concept ingredients, plus ones to drop for allergy or vegan reasons
- Claims you want to make: the lab needs to know the ad wording early to design tests
- Packaging and target cost: pump or tube changes viscosity and stability requirements
- Timeline: a realistic launch date that includes stability testing
Common mistakes
- Sending a competitor product and just writing "make it like this"
- Adding new sales countries right before launch
Is there one item you always put in a brief for the lab? Share it below.
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