What Information Does a Cosmetic R&D Company Need From You to Start a Project?

Short answer: Before a formal proposal, an R&D partner like Hexis Lab typically needs seven things: the claim or benefit you want to make, your target market and skin type or hair type, whether you already have an active ingredient or formulation, any ingredient preferences (natural, sustainable, synthetic-free), your target launch timeline, the regulatory region(s) you plan to sell into, and an approximate budget range. You do not need all seven answered in detail — a rough starting point on each is enough for an initial conversation.

Why each of these matters

The claim you want to make determines which biological pathway and which assays are relevant. Your target market and skin type determine which testing models are used — skin-of-colour and phenotype-specific testing, for example, needs to be built in from the start rather than added later. Ingredient preferences and budget shape whether the project starts at ingredient discovery or moves straight to formulation.

How Hexis Lab approaches this

Our engagement model is described internally as agile and collaborative, and is used for everything from first-time indie founders to multinational clients — the level of detail we ask for scales with where you are, not the other way around. You can start a conversation with partial answers and we will help fill in the rest.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I do not know my target claim yet?

That is a common starting point. We can help translate a general goal (for example, “reduce dark spots” or “support an ageing skin barrier”) into a specific, testable claim.

Do I need regulatory or safety documentation already?

No. Regulatory and safety strategy is typically worked out as part of the project, not a prerequisite for starting one.