Research and development:
from the idea to the stable formula
A department for two activities
Our formulation laboratory develops products for our own brands and formulas entrusted to us by external clients as part of our contract manufacturing services.
- 1. The brief We start from what the product should do, for whom, at what cost price, in which market, and the claimed benefits. The market dictates a great deal: a formula intended for China, Korea or the United States does not follow the same ingredient and labelling constraints as a European formula.
- 2. Laboratory tests First formulation, and adjustments to texture, pH, fragrance and active ingredient concentration. This phase is iterative. The number of back-and-forth steps depends on the precision of the brief and the level of requirement for the sensory finish.
- 3. The pilot batch Production of a small batch under actual manufacturing conditions. This is the stage that reveals the discrepancies between a 100 ml beaker test, a 1 kg pre-production run and final production starting from 30 kg in a vats.
- 4. Stability and compatibility Formula stability testing over time and compatibility tests with the chosen packaging. A product that is stable in a glass bottle may change in a plastic tube.
- 5. File and notification Preparation of the Product Information File (PIF) and notification on the target markets.
The brief
1
We start from what the product should do, for whom, at what cost price, in which market and with what claims. The market dictates a great deal: a formula intended for China, Korea or the US does not have to comply with the same ingredient and labelling constraints as a European one.
Laboratory tests
2
Initial formulation, adjustments to texture, pH, fragrance and active ingredient concentration. This phase is iterative. The number of rounds depends on the precision of the brief and the required level of sensory performance.
The pilot batch
3
Production of a small batch under real manufacturing conditions. This is the stage that reveals the discrepancies between a 100 ml beaker test, a 1 kg pre-production run and final production starting from a 30 kg batch tank.
Stability and compatibility
4
Formula stability tests over time and compatibility with the chosen packaging. A product that is stable in a glass bottle may change in a plastic tube.
File and notification
5
Compilation of the Product Information File (PIF) and notification on the target markets.
Our formulation areas
The laboratory works primarily on:
- high-concentration actives
- plant-based formulas: essential oils, plant extracts
- mineral formulae: clays, trace elements
- fruit acids (AHAs, etc.), particularly glycolic acid
- natural peels without equipment
- salon protocols, where the product is inseparable from the professional technique
This last point is worth clarifying. Part of our work does not focus on the product alone, but on the sequence in which it is used: order of application, development time, combination of references. A salon does not buy a bottle, it buys a treatment.
Come and see us
Binche is located in 1 hour from Brussels, 2 hours from Paris by train, 2 hours 15 minutes from Amsterdam and London, 3 hours from Frankfurt.
Our partners are welcomed on site, in the laboratory and at the training centre.