What Cosmacon does

Cosmacon GmbH is a privately held German contract development and formulation company headquartered in Schenefeld near Hamburg. Founded in 1999 and led by founder Rainer Kröpke, the company operates a B2B cosmetics CDMO model, developing custom formulations for cosmetics brand owners, startups, dermatologists, beauty institutes, and raw material manufacturers across more than 18 product categories spanning facial care, hair care, body care, deodorants, sun care, men's cosmetics, baby care, and medical skin care.

The company's core technology is formulation development, supported by a portfolio of more than 150 natural cosmetics formulation templates certified to BDIH, Ecocert, NaTrue, KBA, FairTrade, and vegan standards (ISO 16128). In-house testing capabilities include proprietary hair care methods (combing force, Rubin Dye Test, curl stability, UV protection verification, electrostatic charge) and microbiological screening that predicts deodorant efficacy duration. A bespoke Laboratory Information and Management System (LIMS), co-financed by the EU EFRE / Schleswig-Holstein and announced in 2025, integrates 25 internal departments with 16 networked measurement stations, providing real-time data capture across R&D operations. The company also operates proprietary certification seals covering vegan, animal welfare, microplastics-free, reef-friendly sunscreen (Hawaiian Reef Law), dermatological tolerability, ISO 16128, and Clean Beauty.

Cosmacon's revenue is generated through project-based formulation development fees (fixed-price contracts), ongoing formulation support, white-label production through partner Tojo Cosmetics GmbH (from 5 kg minimum batch size), raw material evaluation services, and training/coaching. Go-to-market is consultative and direct, with a dedicated account manager per client, supported by a content marketing engine (technical blog, ingredient glossary, LinkedIn, Xing, Instagram) and trade show participation. Customer segments are diversified across enterprise brands, SMEs, startups, dermatologists, and raw material suppliers, with Europe as the stated operating geography.

Name

Cosmacon

Legal name

Cosmacon GmbH

Website

https://cosmacon.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cosmacon GmbH is a German B2B cosmetics contract development and formulation company serving brands, startups, dermatologists, and raw material suppliers with custom and certified natural formulations across 18+ product categories.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cosmetic Contract Development and Manufacturing

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional/Backbar Skincare (Esthetician & Spa Use) (CRABAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sensitive Skin & Barrier Repair (CRABAAAG), Deodorants & Antiperspirants (CRADANAA), Analytical Development & QC Testing (Release/Stability/Potency) (HLAGAGAF)

Keywords

• Cosmetic formulation development
• Contract development manufacturing
• Natural cosmetics certification
• Private label cosmetics
• Raw material evaluation

Headquarters

HQ city

Schenefeld

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Formulation Development Services: Project-based custom formulation development for cosmetics brands, institutes, and raw material suppliers. Services include recipe development, optimization, certification preparation, and patent checks. Revenue is earned through one-time development fees and ongoing formulation support contracts.
2. Own Product Lines (White-Label): Cosmacon develops and offers white-label cosmetic products through partner company Tojo Cosmetics, enabling rapid market entry for clients under their own brand. Production in quantities from 5 kg upwards.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cosmacon is a B2B contract development and manufacturing services (CDMO) provider for the cosmetics industry, offering custom formulation development (Rezepturentwicklung) for cosmetic brands, beauty institutes, dermatologists, and raw material suppliers. The company specializes in natural, vegan, and certified organic cosmetics across multiple product categories (facial care, hair care, body care, deodorants, sun care, men's cosmetics, baby care, medical skin care), with in-house laboratory testing and a portfolio of 150+ pre-developed natural cosmetic formulations. It also offers private-label development, microbiological stability testing, patent checks, training, and raw material evaluation services.

Product overview

Cosmacon is a cosmetics contract development and formulation company offering a comprehensive portfolio of product lines and services. Their core offering is formulation development (Rezepturentwicklung), supplemented by over 150 natural cosmetic formulations, microbiological stability testing, and full-service private label development. Product lines span facial care, hair care, body care, deodorants, sun protection, men's cosmetics, baby care, medical skin care, and self-tanners. Services include optimization of existing formulations, raw material evaluation, patent checks, training, and personnel support for cosmetic brands, institutes, and raw material suppliers. The company also develops certified natural/organic cosmetics complying with BDIH, Ecocert, NaTrue, and ISO 16128 standards, including vegan formulations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rezepturentwicklung (Formulation Development) Core service developing custom cosmetic formulations by selecting raw materials and active ingredients to create stable, effective products tailored to client specifications. Serves cosmetics brands, institutes, dermatologists, and raw material suppliers.
• Optimierung der Rezeptur (Formulation Optimization) Service optimizing existing cosmetic formulations for improved stability, efficacy, sensory profile, or cost, as well as reformulation to meet certification standards.
• Mikrobiologische Stabilitätsprüfung (Microbiological Stability Testing) Testing and development service ensuring product stability against microbial contamination, including proprietary microbiological screening tests that predict probable efficacy duration for aluminium-free deodorant alternatives.
• Schulung und Coaching (Training and Coaching) Training services for cosmetic industry professionals including formulation training, coaching, and personnel support.
• Patentcheck (Patent Check) Patent checks and freedom-to-operate review service for cosmetic formulations, helping clients avoid IP conflicts before market launch.
• Eigene Kosmetikmarke (Private Label Brand Development) Full-service development of proprietary cosmetic brands from formulation through to finished product, including marketing and packaging support, targeted at beauty institutes and hair stylists. Production from 5 kg upwards.
• Rohstoffevaluierung (Raw Material Evaluation)
• Rezepturcheck (Formulation Review) Expert review and analysis of existing cosmetic formulations for optimization opportunities, primarily serving raw material suppliers and brand clients.
• Messemuster (Trade Show Sample Development)
• Personelle Unterstützung (Personnel Support)
• White-Label Cosmetic Products (via Tojo Cosmetics Partner Channel) White-label cosmetic products developed via partner company Tojo Cosmetics GmbH, enabling rapid market entry for clients under their own brand with EU-compliant formulations using innovative active ingredients.

Quantifiable outcome

• Microbiological screening tests predict probable efficacy duration for aluminium-free deodorant alternatives, saving thousands in test costs.

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Tojo Cosmetics GmbHcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerPartner company Tojo Cosmetics offers immediately available EU-compliant white-label cosmetic products using innovative active ingredients. Cosmacon refers clients seeking rapid market entry to Tojo, providing a shortcut for clients wanting quick private-label solutions without full custom development timelines.
• CosactivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCosactive offers formulation-tested active ingredient mixtures in small quantities for custom production orders. Cosmacon recommends Cosactive's pre-tested ingredient combinations for clients seeking rapid formulation prototypes and efficient product development cycles.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cosmacon
• Instagraminstagram.com/cosmacon/?hl=de
• Xx.com/cosmacon_gmbh
• Facebookfacebook.com/CosmaconKosmetikprodukte

Compliance7 records

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 Cosmacon