Let’s get this straight off the bat, starting a beauty brand ain't some fairytale with pastel packaging and sparkly margins. It’s raw. Gritty. Expensive in places you wouldn’t expect, and cheap in areas you should’ve budgeted for. Ask me how I know.
You think you’re just sellin’ lip goop or anti-aging sauce? Think again. You’re buildin’ a whole universe. A scent, a color, a mood, a vibe that sells itself before folks even pop the cap.
But the million-dollar (or thousand-dollar?) question remains: How much does it actually cost to start a cosmetic biz?
Short answer? Starting a cosmetic business typically costs anywhere from $2,000 to over $20,000, depending on your approach. Key factors include product formulation, packaging design, branding, legal compliance, and marketing efforts. A lean launch with one product and minimal inventory can be achieved on a modest budget, while a fully customized brand with professional packaging and lab-developed formulas will require a more significant investment. Careful planning, thorough testing, and a strong brand identity are essential to ensure a successful and sustainable entry into the beauty industry.
Stuff That Makes or Breaks Your Budget
You don’t get to just "make a product" and walk into Ulta with a smile. No no. The cost shifts depending on how you roll. Wanna go full indie? Or you hiring scientists in lab coats and branding wizards in turtlenecks?
These things mess with your price tag:
DIY'ing at home vs hiring a cosmetic lab
Simple balm vs anti-aging serum with twelve plant extracts and fairy dust
Clean kraft paper pouch or gold-foiled rigid boxes with magnetic lids
Selling online only or trying to get on store shelves
Every single one of those choices? It sways the bill. Pick your poison.
Making your actual product (you know, the whole point) ain’t free. Not even kinda.
Buying ingredients can run $100 to $700, even if you’re mixing in your kitchen like a broke alchemist
Hiring a legit chemist or lab can start at $2k and rocket into five-figure land if you want anything special
Stability testing (does your goop grow mold?) might cost $0 if you wing it (dumb), or $500+ if you’re smart
Sample batches to see if it smells like roses or cat breath? Another few hundred
One time I made a coffee scrub that smelled like burnt tires and clogged a friend’s sink. Guess who didn’t test first? Oof.
Government ain't playin' around just 'cause you sell cucumber toner outta mason jars. They want their forms, licenses, and rules followed or else.
LLC filing or biz license will drain you of $65–$400 depending on state and if you skip the lawyer
Product liability insurance is boring but necessary, around $300 to $1,200 a year
Trademarking your brand name (if you don’t wanna get sued later) is another $250–$1,200
FDA doesn’t need to “approve” your product, but if your label lies? They’ll absolutely come knocking
True story: I knew a girl who used glitter labeled “not for skin” in her bath bombs. Didn’t end well. Glitter lawsuit. That’s a thing.
Don’t skimp here. People will judge your serum by your font.
Logo? Free on Canva, or $500–$1,000 if someone with actual talent does it
Full brand kit with colors, fonts, moodboards? $100 to $2.5k easy
Packaging design for your label, box, and bottle can eat up $200–$2k
Photos to make your site look like you know what you're doin’? $50 to $500+ per product
I once tried to design a logo in Word. WORD. If that doesn’t tell you where I started, nothin’ will.
You can’t yell into the void. Gotta build a place where your fans can click add to cart.
Domain name costs around $12–$20 a year (unless you want something fancy)
Shopify or another platform will pull $29–$99 outta your wallet monthly
Website design? $0 if you can drag-and-drop, but $1k–$3k if you want something worth staring at
Product photos or lifestyle shoots could cost another $100–$800+ depending on your taste
Yes, you can sell on Etsy, but they’ll take their pound of flesh too.
No one will find your magic serum if you just “hope for virality.” This part hurts and works.
Ads on Facebook or IG can cost $200–$2k/month depending on how much you wanna gamble
Influencer collabs range from $50 and a free jar to $1,500 for one TikTok shout
Email software (like Klaviyo or Mailchimp)? Free at first, then $30–$100/month
Giveaways, samples, PR mailers—whatever gets the buzz going? Budget at least $100–$600
I've spent $400 on influencer mailers that got 3 likes and one polite “thanks.” Next week, $20 landed me a viral reel. Luck is a nasty friend.
You ain’t here for spreadsheets. Here's the vibe check version:
Barebones hustle: $2,000 to $5,000. You’ll do most of the work, cry a lot, but it’s doable
Mid-level real brand feel: $6,000 to $15,000. Aesthetic vibes, real packaging, moderate launch
High-end, glossy, Sephora-wannabe: $20,000 to $50,000+. Just know what you’re walkin’ into
And if you think you can skip branding and just let “the product speak for itself,” I got news, products don’t talk. Pictures do.
Wanna launch with 3 items? Cool. You’ll probably need at least 250–300 of each to look legit.
That’s around 750 total units
At $4 a unit (ingredients, custom product boxes for packaging, label), you’re already at $3,000
Add shipping boxes, filler, thank-you cards, and labels? $4.2k–$5k easy
Don’t even get me started on how many times I forgot to order lids. Jars without tops = 100% useless.
Just when you think you're done spending, boom, another invoice.
Card processing fees take 2.9% + 30¢ every order (it adds up fast)
Monthly tools: shipping apps, CRM software, email automation, $50–$300 monthly
Bookkeeper or tax help unless you want to cry in April: $500–$2,000/year
Reordering inventory before you’ve recovered from the last one? Brutal
It never ends. But you adapt. Or you quit. (Don't quit.)
Oh heck yeah. Plenty do.
Start with:
One product
Small batch
Stick-on labels
Basic custom mylar bags for packaging
A messy but honest Shopify store
I've seen brands blow up with TikToks filmed in their bathroom and lip balms wrapped in washi tape.
Starting a beauty biz ain't for dainty dreamers. It's for folks who can juggle chaos with a grin. It costs more than you’d like, but less than you'll regret, if you do it right.
So what's your move? You gonna build the next cult favorite serum? Or just keep wishin' while someone else scoops your idea and runs?
Start messy. Fix things later. Just start.