Capabilities
The product development journey
How a skincare product moves from concept to delivery at Celcode: planning, formulation, sampling, packaging, regulatory checks, manufacturing and delivery.
Product development at Celcode runs through seven stages - concept, formulation, sampling and testing, packaging, regulatory, manufacturing and delivery - handled by one team at one Singapore site. The concept stage sets the product's purpose and business parameters; formulation and sampling produce an approved benchmark sample; packaging and regulatory work run alongside; manufacturing and delivery follow under the HSA GMP-certified quality system.
The seven stages
Concept
We go over your brand vision and the unique selling proposition of the product or range, and clarify goals and marketing points such as product efficacy and claims. Practical parameters are set at the same time: cost, production timeline, target market and order quantity.
Formulation
Our R&D team develops a custom formulation or adapts a ready formulation from the range, following the five-stage formulation process.
Sampling and testing
Samples are refined with your feedback on texture, colour and fragrance. Formulations are tested for stability and shelf life. The loop ends with an approved benchmark sample.
Packaging
Primary and secondary packaging is selected for compatibility with the formulation and your brand, using your designs or with design support. Packaging runs in parallel with formulation.
Regulatory
The formulation and label are checked against the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive; documentation is prepared for cosmetic product notification in Singapore and the requirements of your target markets.
Manufacturing
Production, filling, packaging and labelling run under the HSA GMP-certified quality system, with quality control on materials, in process and on finished goods.
Delivery
Finished products are released, stored and delivered from our Singapore site.
What you decide at each stage
| Stage | Your decisions | Celcode’s deliverables |
|---|---|---|
| Concept | Positioning, customer, price point, market, launch date, route (custom or ready) | Product definition, business parameters, development plan |
| Formulation | Ingredient preferences, free-from requirements | Formulation developed or adapted; first samples |
| Sampling and testing | Feedback on samples; approval of the benchmark sample | Refined samples; stability and shelf-life results |
| Packaging | Format, artwork, label copy | Packaging options, compatibility check, label review |
| Regulatory | Markets to notify; submission of the notification as the brand | Technical documentation, ingredient listing, claims and labelling check |
| Manufacturing | Order quantity, delivery schedule | Production batches, quality control, release |
| Delivery | Delivery address, logistics | Released, stored and delivered goods |
Why the stages sit at one site
Formulation, sampling, testing and manufacturing all happen at Celcode’s Geylang facility. That has three practical effects: consultations can be in person; a sample revision is a walk across the building rather than a shipment; and the formulation that passed stability testing is the one that goes into production, on the same equipment, under the same quality system.
Singapore as a manufacturing base
Singapore’s position as a logistics hub and its network of free trade agreements simplify export to the region, and its cosmetic regulation follows the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive, which most neighbouring markets also apply. Products manufactured here carry a Made-in-Singapore origin and, from Celcode, manufacturing under a quality system certified by the Health Sciences Authority.
Timelines and minimum order quantities
Minimum order quantities are confirmed per product in your proposal. They depend on the development route, the packaging and the batch size. Celcode sets its minimums for small-batch launches, lower than the 5,000-unit minimums that are common with offshore manufacturers.
Timelines are set out in the development plan for your project. A ready formulation with existing packaging moves fastest; a custom formulation adds sampling rounds and stability checks before production is scheduled.
Related pages
- Formulation process: the five stages inside stage two.
- Testing: what stability and shelf-life testing checks.
- Packaging and branding: how packaging is selected and checked.
- Regulatory support: notification in Singapore and other markets.
- Facility: where manufacturing happens and what the site is certified to do.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the whole process take?
It depends on the development route, the number of sampling rounds, packaging lead times and notification. A ready formulation with existing packaging is fastest; a custom formulation adds development and stability work. Your development plan sets out the schedule before work starts.
What do I need to bring to the first meeting?
An idea of the product, the customer and the market, and any constraints such as price point, launch date or ingredient preferences. You do not need a formula. If you have an existing product or packaging, bring it.
Can stages overlap?
Yes. Packaging selection and regulatory checks run alongside formulation so that the approved sample, the packaging and the documentation are ready at the same time for production.
- Written by
- Celcode Dermal Lab
- Published
- Updated