Facial Serum Manufacturer Australia
Australian facial serum manufacturer specialising in actives-led, custom-formulated serums for boutique through retail-scale skincare brands.
Epilab is an Australian facial serum manufacturer specialising in custom, science-led formulation for indie and established beauty brands. Serums are the highest-value category in modern skincare and the one where formulation expertise shows most — active stability, texture and penetration all have to be right at once. We’ve formulated 700+ products and manufacture for 100+ brand partners from our GMP-aligned Melbourne facility, in operation since 2011.
Facial serum formulation at Epilab
A serum is a delivery system: a concentrated dose of actives that has to stay stable in the bottle, absorb without pilling, and actually work on skin. It’s where good chemistry separates a hero product from a me-too one.
Actives we formulate with. Vitamin C across its major forms (L-ascorbic acid, ethyl ascorbic acid, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, sodium ascorbyl phosphate), retinol and retinoids, niacinamide, peptides, multi-weight hyaluronic acid, AHAs and BHAs, azelaic and tranexamic acid, ceramides, growth factors, and Australian native botanical actives such as Kakadu plum (a vitamin C source), Davidson plum, finger lime and Quandong. Each brings its own stability and pH demands.
Formats and textures. Water-light essences, gel serums, oil-serums and gel-creams — filled into airless pumps, dropper bottles and amber or UV-protective glass matched to the active. We build the texture so the serum layers cleanly under moisturiser, sunscreen and makeup without pilling.
The hard parts we solve. Active stability matters more here than in any other category. Vitamin C needs the right pH, packaging and antioxidant support; retinol needs stabiliser systems and opaque packaging; peptides need preservation systems that don’t deactivate them; acid blends need careful pH control. We resolve each of these during development so the finished serum performs the way the label claims across its shelf life.
What we offer for facial serum brands
Custom formulation from brief — our core service. A unique serum developed from your brief: active selection, texture, fragrance and sourcing built around your positioning, and you own the finished formula. Typically $5,000–$9,000 per SKU, 8–16 weeks from approved brief to production-ready formula.
Ready-to-brand base options. To validate the category faster, we can adapt a proven Epilab serum base with your fragrance, minor tweaks and packaging (from $1,000–$3,000 per SKU, 4–8 weeks).
Minimum order quantity. 500 units per SKU in dropper, pump and airless packaging, with growth-scale (3,000–10,000) and retail-scale (10,000–100,000+) runs supported from the same facility.
Common facial serum formulation considerations
Active stability drives most serum decisions — packaging, pH and antioxidant systems are chosen around the actives, not the other way round. Textures must deliver actives without pilling under makeup. Combining actives (for example vitamin C with niacinamide, or acids with retinoids) requires formulation care. Epilab manages these during development.
A typical facial serum brief
A founder wants a stable vitamin C brightening serum with a Kakadu plum story, non-sticky and layerable under sunscreen, in a 30 ml airless pump retailing under $60. We translate that into a vitamin C system matched to the right pH and pack, a lightweight layerable texture, and a 500-unit pilot that proves stability and feel before scaling.
Realistic facial serum costs
A single-SKU serum boutique launch in Australia typically lands between $25,000 and $50,000 all-in — custom formulation ($5k–$9k), stability and preservative-efficacy testing, packaging (usually 30–40% of the total), and a 500-unit pilot run. Active-heavy serums (stabilised vitamin C, growth factors, peptide blends) sit at the higher end but also command premium retail prices. Full line-by-line numbers are in our cost of cosmetic manufacturing guide.
Frequently asked facial serum manufacturing questions
What’s the minimum order quantity for a serum?
500 units per SKU for most serum formats, scaling into 3,000–10,000+ unit runs.
Can you make a stable vitamin C serum?
Yes — we formulate across all the major vitamin C forms and match pH, antioxidant support and packaging to keep it stable through shelf life.
Can you combine actives like retinol, niacinamide or acids?
Yes — multi-active serums are common; we manage the compatibility, pH and preservation so the combination stays stable and tolerable.
Do you offer Australian native botanical actives?
Yes — Kakadu plum, Davidson plum, finger lime and Quandong are available and pair naturally with an Australian-made story.
Can you make oil-serums or waterless serums?
Yes — water-light, gel, oil-serum and gel-cream textures are all available.
Are serums made here Australian Made eligible?
Yes — formulated and manufactured at our Melbourne facility, meeting Australian Made & Owned criteria.
Start a facial serum project
Email info@epilab.com.au with your serum brief: target actives and claims, volume, fragrance and ingredient preferences, packaging direction, timeline, and any specific compliance requirements. We respond within one business day.
For the full skincare overview see our Skincare Manufacturer Australia page, our cost transparency guide, our sibling eye cream page, and Our Process.
Epilab. Australian facial serum manufacturer. Custom, science-led formulation in Melbourne since 2011.
Let's create something exceptional together.
Email us with your category, target volume, and timeline. We respond to every enquiry within one business day.