Facial Serum Manufacturer Australia

Australian facial serum manufacturer specialising in custom formulation and private label production for indie and established beauty brands. Manufacturing in Melbourne since 2011, 700+ products formulated, 100+ brand partners across every Australian state and territory.

Facial serum formulation at Epilab

Facial serums are the highest-value product category in modern skincare and where formulation expertise matters most. Epilab develops actives-led serums across vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid, ethyl ascorbic acid, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate), retinol and retinoids, niacinamide, peptides, hyaluronic acid, AHAs and BHAs, ceramides, growth factors, and Australian native botanical actives. Texture profiles from water-light to luxurious gel-cream. Preservation systems matched to ingredient sensitivity and packaging format.

What we offer for facial serum brands

Custom formulation from brief

Develop a unique facial serum formula from your brief. Active selection, texture profile, fragrance, ingredient sourcing, all built around your brand positioning. Development typically $5,000 to $9,000 per SKU. 8 to 16 weeks from approved brief to production-ready formula. You own the finished formulation under standard project terms.

Private label adaptation

Take a proven Epilab facial serum base and customise it with your fragrance, ingredient adjustments, and packaging. Setup cost $1,000 to $3,000 per SKU. Launch-ready in 4 to 8 weeks. The fastest path to market for founders who want to validate the category before investing in custom formulation.

White label (coming soon, from approximately 50 units)

For founders who want to test market response before committing to a full 500-unit pilot, our forthcoming white label range will start at approximately 50 units per SKU. Talk to us if you are interested in early access.

Minimum order quantities

500 units per SKU is our standard minimum for facial serums in dropper bottles, pump bottles, and airless pump packaging. Growth-scale orders (3,000 to 10,000 units) drop per-unit costs significantly. Retail-scale runs (10,000 to 100,000+) supported from the same facility.

Common facial serum formulation considerations

Active stability matters more in serums than in any other category. Vitamin C requires specific preservation, packaging (airless or amber glass), and pH considerations. Retinol formulations need stabiliser systems and opaque packaging. Peptide formulations need preservative systems compatible with peptide activity. Serum textures need to deliver actives without pilling under makeup. Epilab handles each of these formulation decisions as part of standard development.

Realistic facial serum project costs

For a single-SKU facial serum launch in Australia in 2026:

• Custom formulation development: $5,000 to $9,000 per SKU
• Private label adaptation: $1,000 to $3,000 per SKU
• Stability testing: $800 to $1,500 per SKU
• Preservative efficacy testing: $1,000 to $1,500 where applicable
• Packaging: typically 30 to 40 percent of total launch cost
• Production at 500-unit pilot: per-unit cost roughly 20 to 30 percent above the 3,000-unit price

A realistic single-SKU facial serum boutique launch typically lands between $25,000 and $50,000 total. Full cost breakdown in our cost transparency guide.

Frequently asked facial serum manufacturing questions

What is the minimum order quantity for facial serum?
500 units per SKU for most serum packaging formats. Higher minimums only apply to tube-format products.

How long does facial serum development take?
Custom formulation: 8 to 16 weeks for the formula plus 4 to 12 weeks of stability testing (concurrent) plus 2 to 8 weeks of production. Total 16 to 32 weeks from brief to finished stock. Private label compresses this to 8 to 12 weeks.

Do you offer natural or organic facial serum formulations?
Yes. Native Australian botanical actives including Kakadu plum (a vitamin C source), Davidson plum, finger lime, and Quandong are available across the facial serum range.

Can you work with my packaging supplier?
Yes. We are happy to work with packaging procured externally as long as it is compatible with our filling equipment and meets the product’s compatibility requirements.

Are products Australian Made eligible?
Yes. Manufacturing happens at our Melbourne facility, which meets Australian Made and Owned criteria.

Start a facial serum project

Email info@epilab.com.au with your facial serum brief: target volume, fragrance and ingredient preferences, packaging direction, timeline, and any specific compliance or claim requirements. We respond within one business day.

For the full skincare manufacturer overview, see our Skincare Manufacturer Australia page. For cost detail across all categories, see our cost transparency guide. For the boutique versus large-scale decision, see our boutique vs large-scale comparison.

Epilab. Australian facial serum manufacturer. Custom formulation, private label and white label production in Melbourne since 2011.