Equipment for manufacturing cosmetics

What you need as a beginner – and how to take the next step

Making your own cosmetics at home is both creative and rewarding – but the right equipment makes the whole process much easier and safer. In this blog post, we’ll go over what you need to get started and how you can expand your equipment as you become more experienced.

🧪 Basic equipment for beginners

Here is a simple equipment list for those of you who are just starting to formulate at home:

• Digital kitchen scale – Most importantly! Ingredients are measured in grams, not volume.

• Heat-resistant glass or stainless steel containers – For water baths or direct heating.

• Thermometer – Heat-sensitive ingredients require precise temperature control.

• Whisk or mini-milk frother – For mixing oil and water into emulsions.

• Pipettes and spoons – For small amounts or fragrances.

• Disinfectant (e.g. isopropyl alcohol) – To keep utensils and containers clean.

• Strainer or filter cloth – For infusions or herbal teas.

• Marker pen and labels – To keep track of your mixtures.

⚙️ When you want to take it a step further – semi-professional equipment

If you formulate regularly and want to increase precision, safety, and efficiency:

• Precision scale (0.01 g) – For precise measurement of preservatives, active ingredients, etc.

• Homogenizer or hand blender – For better emulsions and consistency.

• Magnetic stirrer – Perfect for slowly and evenly mixing liquid phases.

• pH meter – Crucial if you are using active ingredients or preservatives.

• Water bath with temperature control – Provides even heating.

• Small laboratory bottles & pipette bottles – For test batches and serum.

• Light/heat protected bottles – For sensitive formulations.

💡 Tips for safe and sustainable manufacturing

• Always work cleanly : Disinfect tools and surfaces before each production.

• Write it all down : Keep track of quantities, dates, and results – it will help you improve your recipes.

• Start small : Make small batches until you feel confident with the recipe.

• Reuse with care : Old cans can be cleaned and reused – but make sure they are completely clean.

Would you like a complete checklist to print? Reply to this email and we will send it to you!

With natural beauty,
NSL Cosmetics