I will design and prototype a custom candle, soap and cosmetic line

I will design and prototype a custom candle, soap, and cosmetic line, turning your concept into physical samples you can smell, test, and put in front of buyers. You get real prototypes mailed to your door, not just slides.

What you get

This service takes a brand idea and develops it into a tangible, small-batch product line across candles, soaps, and simple cosmetics (lotions, balms, body butters, scrubs). The focus is on prototyping: getting a working, repeatable formula and a vessel/packaging direction that you can actually hold, use, and photograph. Concretely, you receive:

• Physical prototype samples mailed to you. Depending on the plan, this means 1 to 3 product types (for example, a soy/coconut container candle, a cold-process or melt-and-pour soap bar, and a body balm or lotion), with one or more refinement rounds.
• Working formulas / recipes documented in plain language: ingredient list, percentages by weight, fragrance load, melt and pour temperatures, and cure times so the result is repeatable.
• Fragrance direction built from a scent brief you approve before anything is poured, including notes (top/heart/base) and intensity guidance.
• Vessel and form recommendations: candle jar/tin sizing, wick type and size testing notes, soap bar shape and weight, and cosmetic container suggestions (jar vs. tube vs. bottle).
• A simple spec sheet per product: dimensions, fill weight, burn or use notes, and a starting ingredient/cost-of-goods worksheet structure (you fill in your own numbers).
• Label and packaging design direction: layout concept, what claims belong where, and the basic information panels typical for personal-care and candle products.
• A short prototype report summarizing what was tested, what worked, what changed between rounds, and recommended next steps for scaling.

You finish with a defensible starting point for a cohesive line, not three unrelated one-offs.

Plans

Tier	Scope	Product types	Prototype rounds	Documentation
Basic	Single hero product prototyped end to end	1 (candle, soap, OR a basic balm)	1 round	Formula sheet + 1 spec sheet
Standard	A small coordinated line	2 product types	Up to 2 rounds	Formulas + spec sheets + fragrance brief + label direction
Premium	Full starter line with refinement	3 product types (candle + soap + cosmetic)	Up to 3 rounds	Everything in Standard + packaging concept + prototype report + scale-up notes

Shipping of physical samples is included in every plan. Tiers differ by how many product types are developed and how many refinement passes are run, never by hidden add-ons.

How it works

1. Brief and discovery. You share your brand vibe, target customer, preferred scent families, any must-have or must-avoid ingredients (vegan, fragrance-free, specific oils), and budget context. I send a short intake questionnaire to capture it cleanly.
2. Concept and scent direction. I propose a fragrance and aesthetic direction per product, including vessel/form options and a scent brief for your sign-off. Nothing gets poured until you approve the direction.
3. Formulation. I build the working formulas, selecting bases, fragrance loads, wicks (for candles), and preservatives/emulsifiers where cosmetics require them, with safety and stability in mind.
4. Prototype production. I make the physical samples in a small batch, run basic checks (candle burn/wick behavior, soap cure, cosmetic feel and basic stability), and document the results.
5. Ship and review. Prototypes are mailed to you. You test them in real life and send feedback.
6. Refinement. Within your plan's round limit, I adjust scent strength, color, texture, or vessel and re-prototype as needed.
7. Handover. You receive final formulas, spec sheets, label/packaging direction, and the prototype report so you (or a manufacturer) can reproduce and scale the line.

Why choose this

Most "branding" packages stop at logos and mockups. This one ends with something you can light, lather with, and rub into your skin. By developing candles, soap, and cosmetics together, the line stays coherent: shared scent story, consistent aesthetic, and complementary formats that merchandise well as a set or gift bundle. Every formula is documented to be repeatable, so you are never locked into a black box. The process is honest about constraints, fragrance behaves differently in wax than in soap than in lotion, and you will get clear notes on those trade-offs rather than vague promises.

Who it's for / use cases

• New makers launching a candle or bath-and-body brand who need a credible, tested starting line.
• Boutiques, salons, and spas wanting a private-label signature scent across multiple product formats.
• Subscription boxes and gift-set sellers needing a coordinated trio that photographs and bundles well.
• Hotels, Airbnbs, and venues wanting branded amenities (a room candle, a guest soap, a hand balm).
• Existing brands extending into a new fragrance line or a seasonal/limited-edition collection.
• Crowdfunding and pop-up sellers who need physical samples for photos, sampling, and pre-orders.

FAQ

Q: What exactly arrives in the mail? Finished physical prototype samples of the product types in your plan, ready to smell, burn, lather, or apply, along with the digital documentation (formulas, spec sheets, and reports) delivered electronically.

Q: Can I keep and reuse the formulas? Yes. Final formulas and spec sheets are handed to you so you can reproduce them yourself or take them to a manufacturer for scale-up. There is no proprietary lock-in.

Q: Do you handle mass production and fulfillment? No. This is design and prototyping. The deliverable is a tested, documented, repeatable starting point. Bulk manufacturing, batch certification, and order fulfillment are separate and out of scope.

Q: Can you match a specific existing scent? I can develop a scent in the direction you describe and adjust intensity and character across rounds, but exact one-to-one duplication of a trademarked commercial fragrance is not guaranteed and not the goal.

Q: What about safety testing and regulatory claims? I formulate with standard safety, preservative, and stability practices in mind and note typical label information panels. Formal cosmetic safety assessments, stability/challenge testing, and regulatory compliance for your specific market are your responsibility and not included.

Q: Can I choose vegan, natural, or fragrance-free options? Absolutely. Tell me your constraints in the brief, vegan, palm-free, essential-oil-only, fragrance-free, specific carrier oils, and I will formulate within them where it is technically feasible, flagging any trade-offs.

Q: How many revisions do I get? Revisions come in the form of prototype refinement rounds, set by your plan (1 for Basic, up to 2 for Standard, up to 3 for Premium). Each round can adjust scent, color, texture, or vessel before re-prototyping.

Q: How long does it take? Timelines depend on the number of product types and rounds, plus cure and shipping time (cold-process soap in particular needs weeks to cure). I confirm a realistic schedule after the discovery step so you know what to expect before we begin.