See what actually happens between "I have an idea" and "we're in production."
When: Thursday, October 15, 2026 · 10:00 AM Mountain Time
Where: Online
Cost: FREE
Speakers: Annie and Diego
About the event:
Product development starts before the lab, with decisions nobody told the founder they were making. What the texture should feel like. Whether the claim you want to print is one you can support and use. Whether the jar you fell in love with suits the formula you want to make.
Annie formulates. Diego builds brands. For an hour, we’ll open up the process we use with clients, from the first conversation to the first batch. Bring your idea—or the one that’s been sitting in your notes for a year.
We’ll work through nine decisions in the order they come up, from “is anyone waiting for this?” to “who’s going to make it, and what will it cost?” You’ll learn the questions to ask at each stage, before you commit time and money.
This is a small group on purpose, with room for questions about the products you’re planning. Come with a specific idea and leave with a clearer picture of what’s ready, what still needs investigating, and what to do first.
What we will cover:
From idea to concept:
What problem the product solves, who it's for, and the market research that tells you whether anyone's waiting for it.
Choosing a formulation direction:
Actives, base, texture, how it should feel and smell, and what's realistic at your budget.
INCI and what's actually in it:
How an ingredient list is built and ordered, why the name on the marketing page isn't the name on the label, and what your INCI says about your product to anyone who reads it.
Regulatory planning:
Canadian and US requirements, cosmetic versus drug claims, notification, and what you need on file before you sell. The conversation that belongs at the start, not the week before launch.
Packaging:
Airless versus jar, compatibility with the formula, what the label has to carry by law, and the lead times and minimums nobody warns you about.
Manufacturing and cost:
MOQs, what a lab needs from you before it can quote, and the decisions that set your margin before you've sold a single unit.
Brand and positioning:
What the product stands for, who it's speaking to, and how that shapes the formula rather than decorating it afterwards.
Marketing and discovery:
Claims you can make, how people find you, and why the words on the page and the words on the label have to agree.
Who would benefit
- First-time beauty founders figuring out how to turn a product idea into a development brief.
- Aestheticians and beauty professionals ready to build a product around the needs they see in their practice.
- Existing brands planning a new product or questioning the direction of their next launch.
You don't need a finished brief. A specific idea and a few unanswered questions are a good place to start.
Why you should attend
Every product decision affects another. The texture influences the packaging. The claim shapes the evidence you’ll need. The selling price sets constraints on what you can afford to make.
Understanding those connections early helps you ask better questions, evaluate your options and spot assumptions before they become expensive commitments.
What to expect
A free, 60-minute session with Annie and Diego, using practical examples to walk through the decisions behind beauty product development.
How to get the most out of it
- Come with a few questions in mind. The Q&A is 15 minutes, so the sharper the question, the better the answer.
- No need to take notes. The recording goes up on this page afterwards, with the transcript.
- Stay for the Q&A. The talk is the map; the questions are where your product gets talked about.