How to start a skincare brand with a Korean OEM, week by week
Reviewed by our formulation chemist team and Minjoon Koo, founder. Updated November 2026.
The plan we use with first-time brands, week by week, with the decisions that are yours and the ones that are ours.
Before week 1: decide three things
- The product and the market. One hero product in one market beats five products in three markets on a first run. The market decides the tests and documents.
- Library or custom. With a library concentrate, production takes about 4 to 5 weeks after you approve the sample. A custom formula takes 4 to 6 weeks and carries a development fee of USD 399, credited against your first order placed within 6 months.
- The quantity. 500 units is a careful start, 1,000 is the most common. Larger runs cost less per unit but tie up cash.
Day 1: brief and written quote
Answer three questions on our quote form or send a benchmark product. Within 1 to 2 business days you get a written quote that itemizes formula, container, decoration, tests, documents and freight. Compare it line by line, ask what is unclear, and approve the sample plan.
Weeks 1 to 4: samples
Lab samples are made in about 2 weeks and arrive by air 5 to 10 days later. Test them on real skin for a week, share them with two or three people whose opinion you trust, and send feedback in one message. A second round usually gets the sign-off. Your approved sample becomes the reference for production.
Weeks 2 and 3: packaging and label
Choose a stock container, get the dieline and send print-ready artwork from you or your designer. We check the files for the ingredient list, warnings and net quantity rules of your market, then you approve the proof. Custom decoration adds a few weeks, so decide early whether it matters for the first run.
After sample approval: production
Bulk is made and tested, a pre-production sample is checked against your approved sample, then filling and sealing run on the GMP line. You pay the 50% deposit before this starts and see progress photos and the batch number in your account. Production takes about 4 to 5 weeks with a ready or adjusted formula, and 4 to 6 weeks with a custom one.
End of production: quality control and documents
Micro and stability results are reported. The document pack is assembled: certificate of analysis, safety data sheet, ingredient list, certificate of origin, invoice and packing list, plus the registrations your market needs.
Then: export and delivery
Air freight for small runs takes five to ten days door to door, sea freight about two to three weeks. Your importer or 3PL receives the goods with tracking and paperwork. Reorders skip sampling and artwork, so they ship faster than the first run.
Choosing a first product? Compare serum, essence, toner, moisturizer and cleanser.
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