Developing a Cosmetic Product in a Sub-Niche Category (progress thread)

[kameronja]

After exploring multiple business ideas, I stumbled upon a sub-niche in the cosmetic space that instantly clicked and I'm genuinely excited about. It was one of those “lightbulb” moments from personally experiencing this problem, and after digging through Reddit threads and forums, I realized thousands of others do too.

There are already similar products out there but none that solve the issue the way I envision it. The opportunity lies in improving what already exists. Not reinventing the wheel, but making it far better. It’s a subtle problem most people don’t notice until someone points it out and that’s exactly where the potential lies.

This niche already sells extremely well. On TikTok Shop and Amazon, it’s one of the top-performing categories with proven best-sellers. So the demand is there but it’s all about execution and differentiation.

Right now, I’m in the early product-development phase, trying to figure out how to create the actual formula. I’ve started reaching out to cosmetic labs and chemists, but I’m still learning how this process works. I have money to invest but I want to be smart and methodical with every step and right now, I really have no idea what I'm doing.

Here’s what I’d love input on:

• How should I approach and evaluate chemists/labs?
• Should I first speak to independent chemists before contacting full-scale labs?
• Should I sign NDAs before sharing the concept with anyone?
• When (if ever) should I involve a lawyer or look into patents?
• How can I prototype efficiently, ideally through a small pilot batch before scaling?
• Any advice for testing and launching DTC through TikTok Shop, Amazon, or Facebook Marketplace or other channels worth exploring?

I also strongly believe first-mover advantage in this space matters. If big players catch wind of what I’m doing, they’ll move fast which means I need my formula, manufacturing, and supply chain dialed before going heavy on ads and influencer marketing.

For now, my top priority is simple: nail the formula, validate with a pilot batch, and then scale.

If anyone here is a DTC veteran or product-development guru, I’d genuinely appreciate your insight, especially lessons learned the hard way. Any advice, intros, or relevant threads would mean a lot. Excited to share updates as I make progress.

 

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