How to Manage the Production of a Cosmetics Line

A production manager monitors the entire cosmetic-creation process.

Production management is the process of overseeing manufacturing while monitoring costs. The production of a cosmetics line requires attention to creating a quality product that must meet the standards of hygiene and control potential hazards. Cosmetics production is monitored by the Food and Drug Administration, Occupational Safety and Health Administration and local entities. Production managers must maintain a current knowledge of regulations as well as machines and procedures used to develop new cosmetics products.

Instructions

1. Establish and monitor the creation of product formulas and processing procedures, including the oversight of materials purchased, sanitation and handling standards. Once the formulas and handling procedures are in print, it is the responsibility of the production manager to periodically check for changes and update the information immediately.

2. Check ingredients against government and company standards for use in cosmetic products. In the United States, the laws that pertain to cosmetics production are the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act. These laws require that cosmetics products are free from substances that could cause poisoning or other harm. Cosmetics ingredients must also be handled and packaged under conditions that ensure the least amount of risk of contamination. The production manager also needs to maintain documentation of the weight and source of each ingredient used in a company product. This information should be compared to the purchasing agreement and shipping manifest that accompanies every ingredient.

3. Check all secondary-holding containers for proper labeling, according to company and government standards. Containers, according to the FDA, cannot be labeled in a way that is misleading or false and must contain full disclosure of all ingredients contained in a product. Certain substances such as lead or mercury are banned for use in cosmetics products.

4. Oversee the use and labeling of manufacturing equipment. For cosmetics production, labels should include the contents, batch date and batch number. This information should correlate with your documentation for purposes of periodic auditing to maintain standardization of product quality.

5. Ensure that the finished product has permanent labeling to differentiate it from products that are still in earlier stages of production. Permanent labeling also solidifies the ingredients and sources used to create the product. Permanent labeling is necessary in order to obtain a legal patent for a specific formula. According to the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act, a cosmetics product must specify the product, name and address of the manufacturer and the location of the manufacturer, packager and any entities involved in the distribution. In addition, the quantity must be identified in the product weight, mass, measure or number using the standard measures of the metric or U.S. system of measurement.

6. Create a procedure for discarding products that have been returned. Once opened, these products are no longer permitted to be sold commercially and must be properly disposed according to standards set forth by OSHA. Document returns to follow trends of specific products or ingredients and suggest changes to decrease returns and improve product quality.

References

• Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific: Management
• United States Food and Drug Administration: Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Guidelines/Inspection Checklist
• United States Food and Drug Administration: FDA Authority Over Cosmetics