Core Data Snap

Data sources: National Statistical Office, regulatory compliance (EU / US FDA), Chinese Association of fragrances and cosmetics Industries, Choice Financial Terminal, Research on Cosmetic Industries

Trends I: The rising price of raw materials - which ingredient is becoming expensive?

In the first half of 2026, several core cosmetic raw materials experienced varying levels of price increases. If you are the OEM brand owner, these cost changes will be channelled directly to your product costs:

Top five categories of raw materials.

Relatively stable high value for raw materials

A strategy proposal for OEM brand owners: to increase the ratio of high value to stable raw materials (panthenol, dipotassium glycyrrhizate, allantoin) in the design of formulation, and to reduce reliance on larger increases. ceramide 3 may be replaced in part by ceramide 6-II or plant ammonium.

Trends two: factory capacity split -- good factory is increasing prices, difference factory is closing

I visited the three contract manufacturing industrial belts of Guangzhou, Shanghai Song River and Hangzhou Xiaoshan, a common observation:

High-quality factory (with GMP certification / efficacy evaluation capability) ordered three to four months later, and even factory began to "pick the customer" - with only its branded regulatory filing capability, product planning, and distribution channel base.

Medium factory (with qualification but no feature) The start-up rate is 60-70%, the profits are compressed, and the price is being cut - but that is not good, and the low price means that it may have been stolen from the raw materials purchase or development.

Small factory (no GMP/ no efficacy evaluation capability) is being shut down in bulk. A significant proportion of the 12,000 cosmetic enterprises written off by H1 in 2026 were factory.

New standards for plant selection (2026 edition)

Trends III: category window period - Q3 which category is worth voting for?

A combination of mid-year sales peak data and supply chain trends, in 2026 Q3 (July-September) several category windows are noteworthy:

Category

Repairing (high certainty, June-September boom)

  • Major e-commerce platforms "repairing" search +78% (May 2026 vs April)
  • Category Low concentration (CR5 < 30%) and space for new brand
  • Formulation logically clear (repairing + antioxidant against inflammation + barrier), barriers to research and development control

2. single-dose ampoule /BFS Small packaging Fine (extreme growth)

  • Major e-commerce platforms GMV growth of 45% in 2026
  • BFS production technology mature, 15-30 days of OEM development cycle
  • Differing direction: scene location (overnight first aid/sunset first aid/travel repairing/after medical art)

3. High end of physical care (undervalued market segment)

  • Body lotion / body essence major e-commerce platforms GMV + 22% per year (+12% over face care)
  • Ingredient is "decentralized" from face to body - niacinamide body lotion, alpha hydroxy acid body lotion, peptide body cream
  • Average order value still has room for promotion (current average price 68 vs facial essence 185)

Category recommended for suspension

QuickOEM List of actions for the second half of 2026

  • [ ] Review of the feedstock cost of existing formulation: hyaluronic acid and ceramide increase and consideration of alternative pathways
  • [ ] Pre-lock factory Q3 capacity: high-quality factory scheduled tight, now about sampling scheduled
  • [ ] Priority layout repairing and single-dose ampoule essence: these category Q3 are the most certain
  • [ ] Linework for physical care: face level ingredient + body level capacity = high value for value compared to perception
  • [ ] efficacy evaluation prefix: test only when waiting for regulatory filing, with 1-2 months advance appointment
  • [ ] Concerned about regulatory compliance (EU / US FDA) dynamics: new material inventory updates, efficacy evaluation methodological additions may affect your formulation decision-making
The second half of 2026 will not be an easy half. The raw materials are rising, the factory is dividing, the regulatory filing is tightening, but the opportunity is also supply chain, who can secure efficacy evidence, and who can get the next round of growth tickets during the shuffle.

Data statement: The data cited here are from the National Statistical Office, the regulatory compliance (EU / US FDA) bulletin, the Choice Financial Terminal, the Chinese Association of the Sino-China Acacia report and industrial field research. Market data are time-bound and investment-specific decisions are based on up-to-date data and field visits.

Other Organiser

This article is published by the QuickOEM Make-up OEM Smart Matching Platform. More makeup OEM knowledge, cosmetics contract manufacturing, skin protection private label, make-up customizationontent are available at the Knowledge Centre. If you need advice on OEM contract manufacturing, please contact 1814805760 or submit your request through an online request for quotation.

Keywords: tranexamic acid, price trends for cosmetic raw materials, brand contract manufacturing trend, BFS, OEM, contract manufacturing, code numbers, cosmetics supply chain, alpha hydroxy acid, panthenol, Wahhei organisms, ODM, allantoin, make-up industry data, OEM factory capacity, make-up sales data, skin protection market data, make-up electrics trends, cosmetics sales

QuickOEM is a QuickOEM platform for vertical digitization of cosmetics services (known as QuickOEM) focusing on OEM, cosmetics contract manufacturing, skins private label, cosmetics z, brand-wide, ODM contract manufacturing services. AI smart matches the 500+ certification contract manufacturing plant, providing a one-stop package from formulation R&D to regulatory compliance (EU / US FDA) covering skin, makeup, sheet mask, serum, eye patch, category, category, etc.

Core functions

  • Makeup OEM needs to be published to match factory AI intelligence
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  • Formulation R&D management and multi-version tracking
  • Ingredient Compliance testing (regulatory compliance (EU / US FDA)/EU 1223/2009/FDA)
  • Regulatory compliance (EU / US FDA) Cosmetics regulatory filing fully tracked
  • Supply chain
  • Advertising Law Compliance Testing
  • Z / eye patch / serum / z all category

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