How to Write a Strong Product Brief for Your Cosmetic Chemist

Let’s stir up some magic in the lab with today’s hot topic: how to write a strong product brief that sets your cosmetic formula up for success. Whether you are a new beauty founder or scaling your product line, your brief is the single most important document you will create before formulation begins. A clear and thorough brief speeds up development, reduces expensive revision cycles, strengthens communication with your chemist and ensures that your final product aligns perfectly with your brand vision.

Working with a cosmetic chemist is a collaborative process. The more specific, realistic and detailed your brief, the smoother the journey will be from concept to samples to full-scale production. A well-written brief acts as both a creative roadmap and a technical anchor point. It informs ingredient decisions, stability considerations, packaging compatibility, regulatory pathways and cost structures. It also prevents misunderstanding, delays and disappointment later in the project.

In this article, we break down exactly what goes into a strong cosmetic product brief, how each section supports the formulation process and why your manufacturing lab depends on this document to deliver a high-quality finished product.

Why a Strong Product Brief Matters More Than You Think

Before we dive into the structure, it is important to understand why the brief plays such a crucial role in product development.

A strong product brief does the following:

Clarifies your product vision for the cosmetic chemist
Helps the lab evaluate feasibility and cost early
Prevents unnecessary revisions and delays
Ensures ingredient choices meet your brand values
Guides packaging decisions based on product usage
Aligns marketing claims with regulatory compliance
Saves you time and money during development

Cosmetic chemists are not mind readers. The more information you provide, the more accurately they can translate your dream product into a stable, safe and high-performing formula.

Section 1: Defining Your Product Concept

Every brief begins by anchoring the product concept. This first section looks simple, but the clarity you build here influences every decision that follows.

What Product Are You Developing?

State exactly what you want to create. For example:

A hydrating gel cleanser
A brightening facial serum
A curl-defining leave-in conditioner
A nourishing body butter

Avoid vague descriptions such as “a moisturiser that does everything.” Be specific. Are you aiming for lightweight or rich? Minimalist or active-heavy? Wash-off or leave-on? Include descriptions about how you want the product to look, feel, smell, etc. It’s important to specify:

Sensory expectations (feel, texture, slip, absorption)
Packaging inspiration
Fragrance preferences

The chemist will use this information to determine system type, emulsifiers, surfactants, viscosity targets and regulatory constraints.

Benchmark Products: What Do You Like and Why?

This is one of the most valuable parts of any brief.

List products currently on the market that you admire and that you want to take inspiration from for your product and specify:

Brand name
Product name
What you like about them
What you dislike or would improve

This gives the chemist a tangible reference point and helps them understand the user experience you want to replicate or surpass.

What Will Your Product Do Better?

This is where your differentiation begins. Ask yourself:

Does it absorb faster?
Does it smell more luxurious?
Does it offer a more elegant texture?
Does it target a specific niche your competitors overlook?

Strong answers here guide ingredient choices, sensory adjustments and marketing angles.

Section 2: Understanding Your Target Market

A great cosmetic product is always created for someone specific. The more clearly you describe your consumer, the more tailored and effective the formula will be.

The brief should include:

Gender
Age range
Geographic location
Income category
Lifestyle and habits

For example:

A 35-year-old professional woman living in London who values minimal routines, clean ingredients and gentle anti-ageing benefits.

A 22-year-old curly-haired university student looking for affordable styling products that define curls without stickiness.

Identify the Problem You Are Solving

What pain point does your product address?

Dull skin
Uneven texture
Frizz and dryness
Irritated scalp
Dehydrated skin
Mild breakouts

Your chemist uses this information to select functional ingredients that match your target claims while staying within regulatory boundaries. It’s important to include details such as:

Skin type (dry, oily, combination, sensitive, mature)
Conditions (acne, pigmentation, redness, sensitivity, dehydration)
Hair type (straight, wavy, curly, coily)
Hair characteristics (frizz level, shine, dryness, scalp conditions, wash frequency)

These details guide functional ingredient selection, from emollients to humectants to film formers.

How Will Customers Use the Product?

This is essential for:

Packaging choice
Viscosity planning
Formula stability
User experience

Specify details such as:

Frequency of use
Amount used per application (will it be a 30ml product or a 250ml product?)
Placement (face, body, hair, scalp, intimate areas)
Rinse-off or leave-on usage
Whether travel-friendly packaging is needed
Whether pumps, tubes or droppers are preferred

This information informs packaging compatibility testing and formula structure.

Pregnancy, Breastfeeding, Menopause or Children Use

If your product targets these groups, the chemist must avoid specific ingredients and adjust percentages accordingly. Including this information early avoids costly reformulations later, so tell your chemist!

Section 3: Hair Removal and Shaving Considerations (If Relevant)

If your product targets shaving or post-shaving concerns, include details such as:

Whether customers shave, wax, pluck or use depilatories
Whether the formula should target irritation
Whether ingrown hairs are a concern

This guides ingredient selection, especially soothing agents, film formers and exfoliating solutions appropriate for cosmetics.

Section 4: Defining Formula Expectations

This section tells the chemist how the product should look, feel and perform. It is one of the most creative and exciting parts of the brief.

Sensory Direction: How Should the Formula Feel?

We need you to describe:

Texture (gel, lotion, cream, balm, butter)
Absorption speed
Residue or finish (matte, dewy, silky)
Spreadability
Cushion or glide

These sensory cues guide the selection of emulsifiers, thickeners, emollients and rheology modifiers.

Fragrance Direction

Specify:

Whether you want a scent
Whether you require natural-only fragrances
Which scent families you love (citrus, floral, warm, herbal, sweet)
Which scents to avoid

Fragrance selection can significantly impact consumer perception, so clarity here is vital.

Colour Preferences

If your product requires colour, indicate:

Shade
Natural or synthetic pigments
Whether the colour should be subtle or intense

This also impacts packaging visibility, stability testing and formula interactions.

Outcome and Performance Expectations

This is the section where you describe the results you hope to achieve. For example:

Softer skin
Deep hydration
Shinier hair
Frizz control
Radiance
Smooth texture

It is important to avoid medical expectations. Cosmetic products cannot claim to treat diseases or medical conditions.

Ingredient Preferences and Restrictions

You can, and should also list your ingredient expectations (if any):

Ingredients you want to include
Ingredients you want to avoid
Preferences for natural versus synthetic: this is especially important as your chemist needs to understand your expectations and you need to understand what is realistic as well. You should specify whether you want 100% natural formula or a hybrid version that leverages the benefits of ingredients over their natural origins, etc. This choice affects ingredient selection, preservation, shelf life, texture, cost, claims, etc. so it is crucial to not miss this part! A natural formula may align with certain values but can come with limitations. A hybrid approach often allows for better performance and stability. A strong brief explains the rationale behind the choice.
Allergen considerations
Branding constraints (clean beauty, vegan, fragrance-free)

This information helps the chemist design a formula that respects your brand philosophy while still performing optimally.

Tips for Writing a Powerful Product Brief

To help brand founders get the best possible result from their lab partnership, here are a few guiding principles. A strong product brief is:

Clear
Specific
Detailed
Realistic
Purpose-driven
Informed by market research

Include examples, reference products and sensory descriptions whenever possible. Every detail you provide saves time in the later stages of formulation.

Your Brief Is the Blueprint for Your Product’s Success

A great formula begins with your product brief. It begins with your vision, your story, your customer and your brand. When your product brief is thoughtfully written, you give your chemist everything they need to create a product that aligns with your brand, delights your customer and performs beautifully.

Treat your product brief as a strategic document. Invest time into it. Refine it. Expand it. Use it to express your creative direction and your business goals. A strong brief sets the tone for the entire formulation journey and ensures your partnership with your cosmetic laboratory is productive, efficient and inspiring.

However, don’t stress if you don’t feel like you are capable of answering all the questions in your brief on your own. That is also why your cosmetic chemist is here for! Ask your questions, refine your brief based on your exchanges and finalise the brief together if need be.

Here’s to formulas that work and brands that thrive!

From my lab to yours,

Rose