Hair Conditioner Manufacturer Australia
Australian hair conditioner manufacturer specialising in rinse-out, leave-in, and treatment conditioner formulations for natural, salon, retail and clinical hair care brands.
Epilab is an Australian hair conditioner manufacturer specialising in custom, science-led formulation for indie and established hair care brands. Conditioner is a cationic emulsion, essentially the opposite chemistry to shampoo. It’s judged on slip, detangling and one make-or-break question: does it condition the hair without weighing it down? We’ve formulated 700+ products and manufacture for 100+ brand partners from our GMP-aligned Melbourne facility, in operation since 2011.
Hair conditioner formulation at Epilab
Where shampoo cleans, conditioner deposits. The art is delivering enough slip and softness for easy detangling and a great after-feel, calibrated to the hair type you’re formulating for, without leaving hair limp or coated.
Ingredients we formulate with. We build conditioners on cationic conditioning agents (behentrimonium methosulfate, cetrimonium chloride and similar) with fatty alcohols (cetyl, cetearyl) for body and slip, plus emollients and plant oils tuned to weight. Slip can be delivered with silicones or via silicone-free systems for “clean” positioning. Repair and performance come from hydrolysed proteins (keratin, wheat, silk), cationic polymers, humectants and targeted actives, all held at hair’s preferred slightly-acidic pH.
Formats and textures. Daily rinse-out, deep and intensive treatments, leave-in conditioners, co-wash cleansing conditioners, colour-safe, lightweight/volumising and curl-supporting formulas, filled into tubes, tubs and pumps. We tune the conditioning load and texture to the hair type and price point you’re targeting.
The hard parts we solve. The central challenge is conditioning without weigh-down. The right cationic-and-fatty-alcohol balance for fine hair is very different from what coarse or curly hair needs. Silicone-free slip is harder to achieve and we engineer for it when the brief calls for it. We also handle emulsion stability, pH, preservation, and fragrance performance in a rinse-off.
What we offer for conditioner brands
Custom formulation from brief, our core service. A unique conditioner developed from your brief: conditioning system, weight, actives, texture and fragrance built around your positioning, and you own the finished formula. Typically $5,000 to $9,000 per SKU, 8 to 16 weeks from approved brief to production-ready formula.
Minimum order quantity. 500 units per SKU in tubes, tubs and pumps, scaling into 3,000 to 10,000+ unit runs.
Common conditioner formulation considerations
Hair type drives everything: fine hair needs light conditioning to avoid limpness, while coarse and curly hair need far more slip and moisture. Silicone-free slip is a real formulation challenge. Leave-in and rinse-out formats behave differently. Colour-safe claims shape ingredient choice. Epilab manages these during development.
A typical conditioner brief
A founder wants a lightweight, silicone-free rinse-out conditioner with hydrolysed protein for fine hair that detangles without weighing it down, in a 250 ml tube retailing under $30. We translate that into a light cationic system with silicone-free slip, a protein-and-humectant panel, and a 500-unit pilot that proves the no-weigh-down feel before scaling.
Realistic conditioner costs
A single-SKU conditioner boutique launch in Australia typically lands between $25,000 and $50,000 all-in: custom formulation ($5k to $9k), stability and preservative-efficacy testing, packaging (usually 30 to 40% of the total), and a 500-unit pilot run. Like shampoo, conditioner scales efficiently, so margins strengthen with volume. Full line-by-line numbers are in our cost of cosmetic manufacturing guide.
Frequently asked conditioner manufacturing questions
What’s the minimum order quantity for a conditioner?
500 units per SKU, scaling into 3,000 to 10,000+ unit runs.
Can you make a lightweight conditioner that won’t weigh hair down?
Yes. Matching the conditioning load to hair type (especially fine hair) is the core of what we tune.
Can you formulate silicone-free conditioners?
Yes, silicone-free slip systems are available for clean and natural positioning.
Do you make leave-in conditioners and masks?
Yes. Rinse-out, leave-in, co-wash and deep-treatment formats are all available.
Can you formulate for curly or coarse hair?
Yes. Higher-slip, moisture-rich systems for curly and coarse hair are a common brief.
Are conditioners made here Australian Made eligible?
Yes. They’re formulated and manufactured at our Melbourne facility, meeting Australian Made & Owned criteria.
Start a conditioner project
Email info@epilab.com.au with your conditioner brief: target hair type and volume, fragrance and ingredient preferences, packaging direction, timeline, and any specific compliance or claim requirements. We respond within one business day.
For the full hair care overview see our Haircare Manufacturer Australia page, our cost transparency guide, our sibling shampoo page, and Our Process.
Epilab. Australian hair conditioner 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.