Ingredients Needed to Start a Skincare & Cosmetic Brand in India

If you’ve been dreaming of starting your own skincare or haircare brand, you’re entering the industry at the perfect time. Small-batch, creator-led beauty brands are exploding in India and globally. Thanks to Instagram, YouTube, and even simple reels, one honest review or one before–after video can take a small business from 10 to 10,000 orders in a surprisingly short time.

The beauty of today’s market is that customers no longer only trust big brands. They want authenticity, transparency, and formulas made with care. This has opened the doors for thousands of small entrepreneurs, students, homemakers, 9–6 professionals, salon owners, or anyone passionate about skincare.

But before packaging, branding, or designing your label comes the most important part: choosing the right ingredients. For new founders, this part often feels overwhelming with so many oils, extracts, butters, fragrances, bases… where do you even start?

This guide is your simple starting point. A friendly roadmap. A “start small, start smart” approach. And throughout this journey, you’ll see why Hiya India has become a trusted raw material partner for thousands of beginners.

Understanding the Core Ingredient Categories

Every skincare product you see whether it’s a ₹199 face oil or a ₹2,999 serum, is built from the same few building blocks. Once you understand these 7 core categories, everything suddenly starts making sense.

1. Carrier Oils

The nourishing base oils that form the foundation of most skincare and haircare products.

2. Essential Oils

Highly aromatic oils used in tiny quantities for scent, mood, or functional benefits.

3. Herbal & Fruit Extracts

Plant-based ingredients that target specific concerns like pigmentation, acne, or dullness.

4. Fragrance Oils

Crafted scents designed to make products smell pleasant and premium.

5. Cosmetic Butters

Rich plant butters that add creaminess, thickness, and healing properties.

6. Melt & Pour Soap Bases

Beginner-friendly soap bases where no chemical reaction is required. You simply melt and customize.

7. Cosmetic Chemicals

Small but impactful ingredients such as Vitamin E, glycerine, and clays that improve texture and performance.

If you understand these categories well, you can create face oils, hair oils, soaps, balms, body butters, serums, and more without confusion.

Carrier Oils

Carrier oils are where most beginners should start. They are simple, safe, and incredibly versatile. You can create a full skincare line using just 3–5 oils.

They also dilute essential oils and determine the overall feel of your product.

Why They Matter for Beginners

They determine how lightweight or rich your product feels.
They nourish skin naturally.
They’re beginner-friendly with no chemicals, no heat, no preservatives needed.
They allow endless customization.
They’re affordable to start with.

How to Choose Carrier Oils

Make choices based on:

Skin/Hair Type:

Oily skin requires lightweight oils.
Dry skin needs rich oils.
Sensitive skin needs gentle, calming oils.

Texture Preference:

Lightweight, medium and rich. How do you want your product to feel?

Absorption Rate:
Morning products need fast-absorbing oils while night products can be richer.

Climate:
India’s summers demand lightweight oils while winters need something more nourishing.

Beginner-Friendly and bestselling carrier oils for startups

Here’s a clear table to simplify your selection:

Jojoba Oil is perfect for face serums
Sweet Almond Oil is gentle and soothing
Grapeseed Oil is lightweight and fast absorbing
Avocado Oil is great for dry, sensitive skin
Cold-Pressed Coconut Oil is loved for haircare
Rosehip Oil gives glow and pigmentation benefits
Pomegranate Seed Oil is a premium anti-aging oil

With these 7 oils alone, you can create more than 40+ product combinations.

Essential Oils

Essential oils are like spices in cooking. A little adds magic. Too much ruins everything. They also have strong scents and strong properties so they must always be diluted.

Safe Usage Percentages

Face products: 0.5%–1%
Body: 1%–2%
Hair oils: 1%–2%
Maximum: 3% only for specific needs

Beginner-Safe Essential Oils

For your first product, start with lavender or rosemary for a tried and tested result.

Herbal & Fruit Extracts

Extracts are what turn a basic product into a targeted one. They’re how you go from“This is a face gel” to “This is a face gel for pigmentation and dull skin.”

Why Use Extracts?

Add real skin benefits
Work even in low quantities
Great for pigmentation, dryness, dullness
Perfect for face serums and gels

Usage Range: 1–5%

Fragrance Oils

Fragrance is one of the strongest reasons customers repeat-buy. A beautiful scent creates an emotional connection.

Why Fragrance Oils Are Important

Create brand identity
Improve customer experience
Work extremely well in soaps and body products
Provide a stable, long-lasting scent

Fragrance Profiles can come in floral, oriental/woody or fresh.

Hiya India’s Most Loved Fragrances

Cosmetic Butters

Adding butters instantly transforms a product into something luxurious.

Why Use Cosmetic Butters?

Rich, creamy texture
Perfect for balms, butters, and healing products
Blend beautifully with oils
Great for winter formulas

Beginner-Friendly Butters

Shea Butter
Cocoa Butter (this is our personal favourite)
Mango Butter (A touch of mango in winter? Absolutely dreamy!)

Melt these with carrier oils to make lip balms, cuticle creams, and body butters.

Melt & Pour Soap Bases

If there’s one product beginners should definitely try it’s melt & pour soaps.

What Melt & Pour Means?

The base is already made. You simply melt it, customize it, and pour it.

Why It’s Perfect for Startups?

No chemical handling
Beginner-safe
Quick production
Ideal for gifting season
Easy to customize with colours, oils, fragrances

Recommended Soap Bases

Cosmetic Additives

These ingredients make your products feel professionally made.
Vitamin E as a natural antioxidant
Glycerin attracts moisture and is amazing for soaps and gels.
Kaolin Clay / Multani Mitti is an Indian household name used for masks, oil control, and exfoliation.
Emulsifying Wax to make lotions or creams that do not separate easily.

Starter Ingredient Kits to Begin

Face Serum Kit: Jojoba Oil, Rosehip Oil, Licorice Extract, Lavender EO
Hair Oil Kit: Castor Oil, Argan Oil, Rosemary EO
Body Care Kit: Almond Oil, Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Rose Fragrance
Soap Kit: Melt & Pour Base, Fragrance/EO, Coconut Oil

Here are few more tips to kick start your journey:

Start with small quantities
Choose cold-pressed oils
Don’t mix too many ingredients initially
Avoid overpowering fragrances
Check shelf life always
Store oils in dark glass bottles
Patch test every product
Buy from suppliers with COA/MSDS
Keep formulas simple
Build 1 hero product first, then expand

How Hiya India Helps Startups Choose the Right Ingredients

A lot of new founders think buying ingredients is easy but the real challenge is buying the right ones. This is where Hiya India stands out.

Why Thousands of Small Brands Trust Us

Personalized ingredient selection support
Guidance on safe usage percentages
Help with formula-building for beginners
Small order-friendly (no huge MOQ pressure)
COA, MSDS, quality documentation
Budget-based ingredient recommendations
Consistent quality batch after batch
Fast shipping all across India

FAQs

1. How many ingredients do I need to start?

Around 8–15 ingredients are more than enough.

2. Which oils are best for face products?

Jojoba, Grapeseed, Rosehip, Avocado.

3. Can beginners mix essential and fragrance oils?

Yes, but keep essential oils within safe dilution limits.

4. Do I need preservatives?

Only for water-based products. Oil-based products don't require preservatives.

5. What are the easiest products to start with?

Face oils, body oils, hair oils, soaps, lip balms. They’re the most popular too!

6. Can I use kitchen coconut oil?

Not recommended. Always use cosmetic-grade, cold-pressed oils.

7. How can I test my formula?

Patch testing with small trial batches and feedback from 3–5 testers.

Create your first product with Hiya India

Starting a skincare brandin India is exciting and your success depends heavily on choosing the right ingredients. Begin simple, learn step by step, and grow your product line slowly. With pure carrier oils, extracts, butters, fragrances, and ingredient guidance, Hiya India is here to support every creative avenue you wish to pursue with your business.

Your first product doesn’t need to be perfect it just needs to exist. And who knows? That small batch you make this weekend could be the one customers ask you to restock next month.