A Melbourne-based skincare startup wanted to launch a niacinamide-based brightening cream inspired by a popular international product that had gained strong traction in the Australian cosmetics market.

Although the client had attempted to develop a similar formulation internally, their prototype batches failed to match the skin brightening performance, texture, and stability of the benchmark product.

The main challenge was that the target product’s formulation was not publicly available, and the ingredient declaration on the packaging did not reveal the true functional structure of the formula.

Key uncertainties included:

• The exact concentration and type of brightening actives, including niacinamide and arbutin derivatives

• The emulsifier system responsible for the product’s smooth texture and absorption

• Hidden functional ingredients improving stability and skin feel

• Differences between the client’s trial formulation and the actual performance architecture of the benchmark cream

To solve this problem, the client engaged Labsure to conduct cosmetic formulation analysis and reverse engineering on the market-leading product.

Our laboratory performed a multi-step investigation to decode the formulation structure and identify optimisation opportunities.

Key steps included:

• Compositional analysis using LC-MS and GC-MS to identify active ingredients and functional additives

• Differentiating between α-arbutin and other arbutin derivatives using advanced analytical techniques

• Identifying the emulsifier and surfactant system responsible for the product’s texture and stability

• Reconstructing a practical cosmetic formulation suitable for manufacturing

• Providing ingredient sourcing guidance from Australian suppliers to optimise cost and supply chain reliability

Instead of simply copying the formula, the project focused on rebuilding a manufacturable formulation structure that could achieve similar performance while improving stability and production feasibility.