Skincare MOQs Explained: How Many Units Do You Need to Start a Brand?
A minimum order quantity (MOQ) is the smallest order a manufacturer will make for you, usually counted per product and per size. For skincare in Australia, MOQs range from about 10 units for white label products to 1,000 units or more for a custom formula, and several thousand for some contract manufacturing runs. Our white label MOQ is 10 units per product, so you can launch a three-product range with 30 units.
Our minimums at a glance
- White label: 10 units per product and packaging size
- Samples: no minimum (full size, our label)
- Custom (private label) formula: typically 1,000 units
- Fragrance-free version of a scented formula: 500 units
- Screen printing on the bottle: 1,000 units
- Sheet masks: 1,000 masks
- Bulk 1 to 20 L: from 1 unit
Why do skincare manufacturers have MOQs?
Every production run has fixed costs that don't change much whether you order 10 units or 1,000:
- Batching: weighing, mixing, heating and cooling a batch, then cleaning and sanitising the equipment afterwards.
- Testing: microbiological release testing on each batch before it ships.
- Line set-up: changing over filling and capping equipment for your bottle.
- Labels and packaging: printing your labels, and suppliers' own minimums on bottles, pumps and boxes.
- Development: for a custom formula, the lab work, stability testing and preservative efficacy (challenge) testing are done for your product alone.
A manufacturer sets its MOQ at the point where those costs can be spread across enough units to make a sensible price. That's why white label MOQs can be very low: the formula is already developed and tested, and it's batched for many brands at once. Your order just needs filling and labelling.
Typical MOQs in Australia
| Route | Typical MOQ | What sets it |
|---|---|---|
| White label (stock formula, your label) | 10 to 500 units, depending on the manufacturer | Filling and labelling set-up |
| Private label (custom formula) | Around 1,000 units and up | Batch size, development and testing costs |
| Contract manufacturing (your formula) | Usually set by batch size (for example a minimum number of kilograms or litres) | Vessel size and changeover time |
| Custom packaging, printed boxes, screen printing | Often 1,000 to 5,000+ | The packaging supplier's own minimums |
When you compare manufacturers, check whether the MOQ is per product, per size, or per order, and whether it includes labels and packaging. A "low MOQ" that excludes labelling can end up costing more than an all-inclusive price.
How low MOQ white label works with us
- Order a sample of each product you're considering (no minimum).
- Design your label in our Canva template for the packaging you've chosen. See the Label guide.
- Order at least 10 units of each product and size, selecting Custom Brand (MOQ 10). The price includes the formula, packaging, label printing and application.
- We make, fill, label and test your order, then ship it.
The full process, with lead times and payment terms, is on our How it works page.
How price changes with quantity
Unit prices fall as you order more of the same product and size. On our white label range the volume discount steps are:
| Units (per product and size) | Discount | Hyaluronic Acid Serum, 30 mL | Copper Peptide (GHK-Cu) Serum, 30 mL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 to 49 | - | $10.99 | $12.99 |
| 50 to 99 | 10% | $9.90 | $11.70 |
| 100 to 249 | 20% | $8.80 | $10.40 |
| 250 to 499 | 30% | $7.70 | $9.10 |
| 500+ | 40% | $6.60 | $7.80 |
Prices per unit in AUD including GST, with label printing and application, as listed in November 2026. Shipping is extra. The "From" price on our catalogue is the 500+ price. Current prices are always on each product page.
The saving between 10 and 500 units is real, but so is the risk of holding 500 units of a product nobody has bought yet. The cheapest unit price isn't the cheapest launch if half the stock expires.
How to choose your first order quantity
- Start from sales, not price breaks. Estimate how many units you can sell in the first three months through channels you already have: clients, followers, stockists.
- Check shelf life. Our products should be sold within 12 months of your order date, and used by your customers within 12 months of opening. Don't order more than you can sell in that window.
- Launch narrow. Two to four products in one or two sizes is easier to sell, photograph and restock than ten.
- Reorder winners. Small reorders are quick (orders of 1 to 50 units are typically made in 1 to 4 business days), so you don't need a big safety stock.
- Move up a tier when the numbers support it. Once a product sells reliably, ordering 50, 100 or 250 at a time lowers your unit cost without much risk.
Our article on the cost of starting a skincare line works through three launch budgets using these prices.
What about bulk?
If you'd rather fill your own bottles, or supply salons and clinics with back-bar sizes, most of our formulas come in 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 L sizes with no MOQ, and the price per litre drops by up to 30% at 20 L. See bulk pricing. Bulk is supplied without your label, so labelling and label compliance are then up to you. If you have your own packaging and want us to fill it, see our filling service.
Questions to ask any manufacturer about MOQs
- Is the MOQ per product, per size, or per order?
- Does the price include packaging, labels and labelling?
- Can I order samples first, and are they full size?
- What's the lead time at my quantity, and for reorders?
- What shelf life will the stock have when it arrives?
- Which documents do I get (SDS, CoA, PIF)?
- For custom formulas: who owns the formula, and what does development cost?
Frequently asked questions
What is a low MOQ for skincare?
Anything under about 100 units per product is low for skincare. White label manufacturers can go lower because the formula is already made and tested; ours is 10 units per product.
Can I mix products to reach the MOQ?
Our MOQ is 10 units per product and packaging size, so 10 serums and 10 moisturisers is a valid first order. Volume discounts also apply per product and size.
Why is a custom formula MOQ so much higher?
Development, stability testing and preservative efficacy testing are done for your formula alone, and it's made in its own batch. Those costs need to be spread across enough units, which is why custom formulas typically start at around 1,000 units.
Do samples count towards the MOQ?
No. Samples carry our label and are for testing. Branded orders start at 10 units.
Can I get a fragrance-free version at a low MOQ?
We can make a fragrance-free version of any scented formula from 500 units, without sample or start-up fees.
Order samples | Browse products | Read the full launch guide
