Home / Cosmetics & hair

Your formula, made in Korea — without flying here.

We shortlist manufacturers that actually make your category, confirm minimum quantity and lead time before you commit anything, and stay on the plant until the samples match the brief. You approve. We handle Korea.

Send a cosmetics enquiry

Regulatory work we handle

A Korean factory will produce what you ask for. It will not check whether the product is legal in your country. That gap is where most first-time importers lose money.

We compare the full ingredient list against the restricted lists of your destination market before the sample is approved. We flag Korean marketing claims that will not survive translation into a regulated market. And we collect the documentation pack from the plant as one set: certificate of analysis, certificate of free sale, manufacturing licence, ingredient breakdown, GMP evidence and stability data.

Where your market requires CPNP notification, FDA registration, halal certification or a local dossier, we tell you what is needed and who can prepare it before production is booked.

Korean cosmetics production

Is this for you

Check the fit before you write to us.

We would rather say no early than take on work that will not go anywhere. If you are unsure, ask and we will tell you.

This fits when

  • You have a formula, or a reference product you want matched.
  • You are ordering at commercial volume, not sampling.
  • You need the Korean-side regulatory paperwork handled, not just a quote.
  • You cannot fly to Korea every time a factory needs a decision.

This is not the right fit when

  • You want single units or samples only. Factories will not open a line for that.
  • You have not settled the product category yet. The maker you need depends on it.
  • You want the cheapest quote without factory verification. That is the order that goes wrong.

What you can order, and from what quantity

Minimum order quantity is the number that decides most first deals. These are the working minimums we can normally secure. Lower is sometimes possible on stock formulas, and we will tell you when it is.

ProductMinimum orderNotes
Sheet masks & hydrogel patches30,000 pcsHighest minimum of any line. Sheet mask plants run high-speed filling and will not open a line below this volume.
Serums, ampoules & essences5,000 pcsStock formula with your label is fastest. Custom formulation adds development time.
Sunscreen & sun sticks5,000 pcsSPF claims must be supported by test data valid in your market. Budget for this.
Cushion & base makeup5,000 pcsShade range multiplies the minimum. Each shade is normally counted separately.
Cleansers, toners & creams5,000 pcsThe most flexible category for a first order and a sensible place to start.
Shampoo, conditioner & treatments5,000 pcsBottle and pump tooling is often the real lead-time driver, not the formula itself.
Scalp tonics & hair serums5,000 pcsAnti-hair-loss and scalp claims are tightly regulated in most markets. We check yours before artwork.

Minimums are per product, not per order. Combining three products at 5,000 each is usually easier to place than one product at 15,000.

Three ways to buy

Stock formula, your label

The factory already owns a finished formula. You put your brand on it. Fastest route to market and the lowest development cost, but the same formula may be sold to others.

  • Development time None
  • Typical lead time 45 to 60 days
  • Exclusivity Usually not

Modified formula (ODM)

Start from a stock base and change scent, texture, active concentration or claim. The common middle path for a brand that wants a point of difference without a full development budget.

  • Development time 4 to 8 weeks
  • Typical lead time 70 to 100 days
  • Exclusivity Negotiable

Original formula (OEM)

Developed to your brief from the start. Highest cost and longest timeline, and the only route that gives you a formula you can genuinely call your own.

  • Development time 3 to 6 months
  • Typical lead time Case by case
  • Exclusivity Contractual

Lead times are indicative and depend on packaging availability, which is often the real bottleneck rather than the formula.

Fee structure

We quote after the scope is set, not before.

Order size, the number of SKUs and how much regulatory work is involved change the effort several times over. A published rate would be wrong for most of you.

Two parts, and nothing hidden between them

1. Our fee — For finding and verifying the maker, running the negotiation, and following production through. Fixed before work starts, once we both know the scope.

2. Pass-through costs — Samples, testing, certification, courier and freight. Billed at cost with the receipts — we do not mark these up.

The first conversation and the shortlist cost you nothing. If we think the project will not work, we say so before you spend anything.

Common questions

Can I get below 5,000 units for a test run?

Sometimes, on stock formulas with stock packaging. The price per unit rises sharply and some plants refuse outright. Tell us your real test volume and we will find out rather than guess.

Who owns the formula?

On stock and modified formulas, the factory does. On an original development, ownership depends entirely on what the contract says. We raise this before the first payment, because it is nearly impossible to fix afterwards.

Do you handle hair care as well as skin care?

Yes. Shampoo, conditioner, treatments, scalp tonics and hair serums. Hair care often has different plants from skin care, and bottle tooling drives the timeline more than the formula does.

Can you source an existing Korean brand instead of manufacturing?

Yes. Brand distribution and OEM production are different negotiations, and we handle both. Say which one you want in your enquiry.

How do samples work?

Stock samples are usually free or nominal, with courier at your cost. Custom development samples are charged and the charge is often credited against a first order.

Cosmetic formulation work
Formulation, stability and packaging are settled with the factory before the line is booked.

Buyers we have done this for

Named with their consent. Ask us and we will arrange a reference call.

BuyerWhat we ran
Mega Electrónicos
Paraguay
Direct trade with major Korean health & beauty brand owners, plus ODM and OEM production.
Azala
Saudi Arabia
Korean health & beauty manufacturer sourcing, carried through the OEM programme.
Lumegance
United States
Korean health & beauty manufacturer sourcing, carried through the OEM programme.

Talk to us

Tell us what you are trying to do in Korea. The more specific this is, the faster we can tell you whether it is worth your time. We reply to every message.

Prefer email? Write to us directly and attach your brand deck, specification or reference product.

Email
main@aonsconnect.com
Korea
+82 10 7491 5501
United Kingdom
+44 789 491 2990
Germany
+49 1515 730 4875
Office
Suite 1503, 38-10 Joongangro 1275beon-gil,
Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
Business registration
103-43-01299

Optional. The more you give us, the more specific our first reply can be.

No fee to enquire. If we cannot help, we will say so and, where we can, point you elsewhere.

Talk to us