One of the biggest issues when starting a new company or brand is the “start-up” costs of supplies and components. More often than not you get stuck having to purchase 5,000 of this or 10,000 of that. And lets be honest, unless you’ve already got thousands of customers lined up ready to purchase your product, it’s a huge investment with huge risk! Well, for those of you in the personal care industry, don’t fret. I’ve found 5 great online suppliers of everything cosmetic and personal care including raw materials, ingredients, bottles and packaging materials. By utilizing these suppliers you can save $$ on components and supplies, freeing up money for important things like advertising, sales, and marketing.

#1. New Direction Aromatics (http://www.newdirectionsaromatics.com/)

Whether you’re looking for just one or two more ingredients to finish your product, or if you’re starting from scratch, New Directions has it all – oils, soaps, packaging, raw materials, etc. Their pricing is very affordable but don’t expect huge discounts when you start ordering for bigger batches. Their checkout is very efficient and simple to use. They also provide to option of picking up the product at their facility which is nice for those eager to get started right away!

#2. Uline (www.uline.com)

Uline is more of a general packaging component company and a great tool for any business regardless of the industry. Uline has packaging materials (boxes, tape guns, stickers) as well as cosmetic making tools (pails, scoops, scales). Their customer service is incredible. They ship almost every item next day and everything can be done online. They also ship their detailed catalog with every order. Uline is the gem of this entire list.

#3. The Herbarie (http://www.theherbarie.com/)

I’m a big fan of the Herbarie. They have excellent customer service and are very helpful – a valuable resource when first getting into business. The the Herbarie has a great selection of raw materials, many of which are UDSA Organic approved. They have some formulas listed on their website for you to get started with and a great resource center to answer all your questions. They really are more than just an ingredient supplier.

#4. SKS Bottle & Packaging (http://www.sks-bottle.com/)

As it states in the name, SKS specializes in bottles – all kinds of bottles! While, SKS has many of the industry standard bottles they also have some pretty cool unique products such as small metal tins and tubes. SKS also has a books section for those needing formulas and idea for new products. Shipping is pretty average and the checkout works well.

#5. McKernan Packaging Clearinghouse (http://mckernan.com/store/home.php)

Ok, so these guys don’t offer the purchase of one unit at a time, however, their prices are so low they have to be on this list. Also, they offer an amazing sample service and will provide you with more than one sample (3 or 4) if you call and request (often all that’s needed for mock ups and meetings with potential buyers). Lastly, if you happen to have read this article too late – these guys will buy your excess bottles and caps.

Good luck with your products and hopefully these links have helped!

Pete