We’re taking an online conversation that happened on BeautyMatter Live about The Art of Developing a Breakthrough Product offline, with more information from rockstar product developers Tamar Kamen and Robyn-Melissa Watkins. The duo has decades of experience across categories and they have developed products for indie beauty to global big beauty and everything in between.
Product development in the beauty and wellness category is one part science and one part art form. Success lies at the intersection of both left-brain analytical and methodical thinking and right-brain creative thinking. This is where product developers come in. They navigate the worlds of science and marketing and act as a translator of sorts between chemists and marketers.
Tamar and Robyn are walking encyclopedias of beauty product claims, benefits, textures, and trends, working behind the scenes creating the industry’s breakthrough products. Together they developed a list of common mistakes and best practices for product development and working with your manufacturing partner.
Product development and marketing expert Tamar Kamen says, “From my experience with both established and emerging brands, your best weapon for efficient product development is preparation. I am a big proponent of numbers, facts, and research. If you put in the work prior to initiating development you set yourself up for success.”
Best Practices and Mistakes to Avoid:
Timing: ASAP is not a launch date. Cementing a realistic launch date sets everyone up for success.
Manufacturing Agreement: Before initiating development with a new partner, establish terms and formalize them in an agreement that covers development fees, formula ownership, payment terms, and excess materials charges.
Competition: Know your competitive environment. Every brand and product has competition. Who are you playing against for the consumer’s mindshare and wallet?
Distribution: Understand your retail strategy. Where your product is being sold should inform the development. For example, are you building a product for mass, specialty, or prestige?
Product Development Brief: Be clear when approaching labs/manufacturers about the product you want to make (texture, scent, claims, ingredient standards) and your cost-of-goods target. Changing directions significantly during development adds time to your timeline and makes your vendors think you’re not serious.
Benchmarks: Providing multiple benchmarks for various attributes can lead to confusion with R&D and wasted time. Duplicating in-market products without a point of difference, new benefit, or packaging innovation will not lead to a successful launch.
Submission Review: “I just don’t love it” is not feedback. Take the time to review formula submissions and communicate effectively.
Iterations: Know when to stop iterating. If you go beyond 5 rounds, then it’s time to realign with the lab.
Testing: Build in the time (3 months of testing) to ensure your formula is stable and compatible with the packaging before moving into the planning phase. Experimenting with preservatives on a fast-track launch is not wise.
Budget: Be realistic about the budget for COGs as well as development fees and budgeting for consumer and clinical tests upfront. If you are developing an OTC product, make sure you budget enough time and money to bring it to market. For example, a sunscreen could take 18 months for development and $50,000 for testing.
Regulatory: This is not where you want to cut costs because missteps can be costly. Find an expert to review ingredient listings, formulas, and packaging.
Architecture: Develop a brand and product architecture that provides visibility to the future.
Reviews: Proactively troubleshoot possible negative comments in reviews and social media prior to development. For example, will people complain that you’re using essential oils or if your cleanser doesn’t remove makeup?
For more insight from these industry innovators, watch our BeautyMatter on-demand conversation The Art of Developing a Breakthrough Product.
