1. The product
Set the concentration first. Eau de parfum usually contains 15 to 20% perfume oil. Eau de toilette usually contains 5 to 15%. Extrait, or parfum, usually contains 20% or more.
Then set the bottle size and the selling price. Those two limit what you can spend on the formula and the packaging. Decide where you will sell: your own website, shops, or both.
2. The scent
You can get a scent for your brand in three ways.
- Use a formula you already own.
- Have a formula developed from a brief. Expect several rounds of samples before you approve it.
- Use a ready-made scent under your label (white label). It is faster to start. Other brands may sell the same scent.
3. Batch size
The minimum order quantity (MOQ) sets how much you spend on stock before the first sale. Many perfume manufacturers start at 1,000 units.
Our batches run from 5 kg to 25 kg. A 5 kg batch fills about 117 bottles of 50 ml.
After compounding, the perfume is left to macerate. It is then chilled and filtered, so it stays clear in the bottle.
| Bottle size | 5 kg batch | 25 kg batch |
|---|---|---|
| 10 ml | 588 | 2,941 |
| 30 ml | 196 | 980 |
| 50 ml | 117 | 588 |
| 100 ml | 58 | 294 |
Approximate bottle count of finished perfume per batch.
4. Bottles and packaging
At low volumes, stock bottles cost less and arrive sooner. Custom glass usually needs much larger orders.
A pump is crimped or screwed onto the bottle neck. Check that the bottle, pump and cap fit together before you order in volume.
Order components early. They can take longer to arrive than the perfume takes to make.
5. UK rules
In the UK, perfume is a cosmetic product. Before you sell it in Great Britain, you need each of these.
- A Responsible Person. This is a person or company based in the UK. It can be your own business.
- A Cosmetic Product Safety Report (CPSR) from a qualified safety assessor.
- A Product Information File (PIF) for each product.
- A notification for each product on the government SCPN service (Submit Cosmetic Product Notification), before the product goes on sale.
- An IFRA certificate. It shows the formula meets the IFRA Standards for your product type.
- A label with the Responsible Person's name and address, the contents in ml, the batch number, the ingredients list including fragrance allergens above the legal limit, any warnings, and the period after opening or a best-before date.
- To sell in the EU, you also need an EU Responsible Person and a CPNP notification. Northern Ireland follows the EU rules.
6. Shipping
Perfume contains alcohol, so it is flammable. Couriers class it as dangerous goods (UN1266). Check your courier's rules before you sell online, and check them again for international orders.
7. Budget and timing
The main costs are the formula, the perfume, the bottles, pumps, caps and boxes, the filling, and the CPSR. Lead time depends most on formula development and on when the components arrive.
Ask each manufacturer for a quote with every cost listed.
8. First batch and reorders
Start with a small first batch. Reorder when it sells. Repeat batches use the same formula and specification, so each batch matches the last.
Our work
We develop the formula, make the perfume, then fill and pack it. We arrange the CPSR and supply the IFRA certificate. Your brand acts as the Responsible Person and makes the SCPN notification.