What MakingCosmetics does

MakingCosmetics Inc. is a privately held wholesale supplier of cosmetic ingredients, bases, and formulation supplies founded in 1997 and headquartered in Snoqualmie, Washington (firmographics list Redmond). The company sells more than 1,000 ingredients organized across categories including antioxidants, vitamins, botanical extracts, peptides, emulsifiers, humectants, preservatives, surfactants, thickeners, natural butters, natural oils, silicones, colors, fragrances, sunscreens, and OTC actives, alongside pre-formulated cosmetic bases (cream, lotion, gel, serum, mask, cleanser, and makeup bases) engineered to accept 10-40% additional liquid ingredients for customization. It also distributes starter kits, packaging containers, formulation tools, and books, and offers value-added services including a free downloadable cosmetic formulas library, regulatory consultation, custom formulating, and base customization. The company is FDA registered, USDA Organic certified, ISO certified, NSF GMP certified, and holds ICMAD, Organic Trade Association, and ASQ memberships, with a BBB A1 rating.

The business operates primarily as a direct-to-customer e-commerce platform built on Salesforce Commerce Cloud (Demandware), supporting a long-tail product catalog with extensive size variation from 1oz samples ($3-$7) through standard retail sizes ($50-$700) to 450lb industrial bulk drums ($400-$6,520+). The go-to-market is product-led and self-serve, augmented by a content marketing engine (free formula PDFs, SPF and batch size calculators, whitepapers), a 200-point loyalty program for new account creation, and active social channels (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram). Distribution is direct e-commerce with international shipping (including a Middle East customs notice) and no third-party marketplace presence disclosed.

The customer base is horizontal and fragmented: two primary segments — cosmetic and skincare product manufacturers (B2B) and DIY cosmetic makers/hobbyists (B2C/prosumer) — supplemented by secondary use-case segments in men's grooming and kids/baby care. Pricing is unit-based across all sizes with bulk volume discounts and a 15% bundle discount on the Cream Base Sample Kit. The company is founder-led (Karin Bombeli, Founder & CEO), privately held with no disclosed institutional ownership, no funding rounds, no subsidiaries, no patents or trademarks, and no partnerships on file. Operating geographies emphasize North America with global shipping reach.

Name

MakingCosmetics

Legal name

MakingCosmetics Inc.

Website

https://makingcosmetics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MakingCosmetics is a wholesale supplier of over 1,000 cosmetic ingredients, pre-formulated bases, and formulation supplies, founded in 1997 and serving cosmetic manufacturers and DIY hobbyists through direct e-commerce with customization services and a free formula library.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cosmetic Ingredients

NAICS

Other Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers (42469)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Ingredient Blends & Systems / Custom Formulation (Seasoning Systems, Functional Blends) (CRADAOAO)

Keywords

• Cosmetic ingredients
• Cosmetic formulation
• Skincare bases
• Bulk ingredients
• Beauty manufacturing supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Redmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Product Sales - Ingredients & Bases: MakingCosmetics generates revenue primarily through the sale of cosmetic ingredients, formulation bases, containers, tools, and equipment. Products are sold in multiple size tiers from small retail samples to large bulk quantities at discount rates. The company offers over 1,000 ingredients across categories including actives, botanical extracts, emulsifiers, preservatives, and specialty materials.
2. Formulating Services: Professional consulting services including regulatory consultation, formula improvement, custom formulation development, and base customization services. These services support customers who need specialized cosmetic formulations or regulatory compliance assistance.
3. Loyalty Program: Customer loyalty program offering reward points (200 points for new account creation) that can be redeemed on future purchases, encouraging repeat business and customer retention.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MakingCosmetics is a wholesale supplier of cosmetic ingredients and pre-made cosmetic bases, offering over 1,000 ingredients across categories such as antioxidants, vitamins, botanical extracts, emulsifiers, preservatives, surfactants, thickeners, natural butters, oils, and specialty emollients, alongside a portfolio of customizable cream, lotion, gel, serum, mask, and hair care bases. The company sells through a self-serve e-commerce platform with sample, standard, and bulk sizing (up to 450lbs/204kg), and supplements product sales with free formula PDFs, regulatory consultation, custom formulation development, and base customization services.

Product overview

MakingCosmetics is a wholesale cosmetic ingredients supplier founded in 1997, offering over 1,000 high-quality ingredients packaged in both retail and bulk sizes. The company's core product portfolio consists of cosmetic ingredients (including antioxidants, vitamins, botanical extracts, peptides, emulsifiers, humectants, preservatives, surfactants, thickeners, natural butters, natural oils, and specialty emollients) and pre-made cosmetic bases (including cream bases, lotion bases, gel & serum bases, face mask bases, cleanser bases, and makeup bases) that can be customized by adding active ingredients. The company also provides value-added services including a library of free cosmetic formulas (PDF downloads), regulatory consultation, custom formulating services, base customization, and professional tools like SPF and batch size calculators. Additional offerings include starter kits, packaging containers, tools, and formulation books. The company is ISO certified, FDA registered, and USDA organic certified.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cosmetic Ingredients

Quantifiable outcome

• 15% discount on Cream Base Sample Kit compared to individual samples
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Bramble Berry: Supplier of soap, cosmetic, and personal care ingredients and supplies with strong DIY community content. Comparable customer base of small makers and hobbyists, with similar educational content marketing approach.
• Lotioncrafter: Direct competitor based in the Pacific Northwest selling wholesale cosmetic ingredients, pre-made bases, and formulation resources to DIY makers and small brands. Offers a similar catalog, educational content, and bulk pricing structure.
• The Herbarie: Supplier of natural ingredients, botanicals, surfactants, and bases for personal care product manufacturers. Similar focus on plant-based ingredients for indie cosmetic formulators.
• Formulator Sample Shop: Direct-to-formulator cosmetic ingredient retailer targeting DIY cosmetic makers with sample-sized and small-quantity offerings. Mirrors MakingCosmetics' sample-first approach and hobbyist customer segment.
• Wholesale Supplies Plus: Wholesale supplier of ingredients, bases, and supplies for soap, cosmetic, and candle making. Comparable B2B e-commerce model serving small to mid-sized manufacturers across multiple personal care categories.
• TKB Trading: Wholesale supplier of cosmetic ingredients, colorants, micas, pigments, and bases serving indie cosmetic manufacturers. Comparable product breadth and direct-to-maker e-commerce model.
• From Nature With Love: Wholesale supplier of natural and organic ingredients, cosmetic bases, and essential oils for personal care manufacturers. Overlapping product positioning with a similar DIY and small brand target customer.
• Bulk Apothecary: Large bulk supplier of cosmetic and personal care ingredients, essential oils, and soap making supplies. Competes head-to-head in the bulk ingredient wholesale space with broader category coverage.
• Ingredients To Die For: Specialty supplier of cosmetic and personal care ingredients focused on natural and specialty actives. Competes in the same indie and small-brand customer niche with similar formulation support services.

Broad incumbents

• Croda International: Global specialty chemicals manufacturer supplying cosmetic and personal care ingredients at industrial scale. Represents the upstream incumbent that MakingCosmetics' commercial customers may source from directly for larger volumes.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/makingcosmetics
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MakingCosmeticsInc
• Facebookfacebook.com/MakingcosmeticsInc
• Instagraminstagram.com/makingcosmetics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MakingCosmetics