US Skincare Brand Develops Premium Serum with Japanese Cosmetics OEM

"GlowLab," a California-based skincare brand founded in 2019, had been selling through their own e-commerce site in the US clean beauty market. To differentiate their products, they decided to develop a serum featuring J-Beauty ingredients (sake lees extract, rice bran ceramide, and camellia oil).

However, they couldn't find a US-based OEM manufacturer with expertise in sourcing Japanese ingredients or formulating J-Beauty products. To leverage the brand value of "Made in Japan" quality, they began exploring direct partnerships with Japanese OEM manufacturers.

Through OEM JAPAN, GlowLab consulted with 5 cosmetics OEM manufacturers and narrowed down their options based on these criteria:

• English-speaking sales and R&D staff available
• Quality management system certified for FDA registration (GMP certification)
• Minimum order of 3,000 units
• In-house capabilities from raw material sourcing to formulation development

They ultimately selected Manufacturer A in Osaka. With export experience spanning over 50 countries, Manufacturer A's ability to provide technical support in English and prepare export documentation was the decisive factor.

The project began with formulation design, going through 4 rounds of prototyping before the final formula was approved.

Phase	Duration	Details
Formulation Design	1 month	J-Beauty ingredient selection, base formulation design
Prototype 1-2	2 months	Texture adjustment, stability testing
Prototype 3-4	1.5 months	Sensory improvement, preservative efficacy testing
Stability & Safety Testing	1.5 months	Accelerated stability testing, patch testing

The key focus was on stabilizing the combination of sake lees extract and rice bran ceramide. The Japanese R&D team utilized proprietary emulsification technology to achieve both a clear texture and high moisturizing performance.

Full production of the first lot was 3,000 units, manufactured in Manufacturer A's ISO 22716 (Cosmetics GMP) certified clean room.

Quality control highlights:

• Certificates of Analysis (CoA) issued in English for all ingredients
• FDA-compliant ingredient labeling design support
• Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) prepared for US export
• Microbiological and heavy metal testing conducted per lot

The finished product, "Sake Glow Serum," achieved 3x year-over-year sales within 6 months of launch on GlowLab's e-commerce site.

Key success factors:

• Compelling story combining "Made in Japan" with J-Beauty ingredients
• Advanced formulation capabilities of Japanese OEM manufacturers
• Comprehensive export support including FDA compliance

A series expansion is now underway with sake lees-infused cream and toner in development. The order quantity has increased to 5,000 units, and Amazon sales have also launched.