How to Select Products for Your Skincare Line
Building a skincare brand is more than just selecting formulas. It’s about creating products that reflect your values, resonate with your audience, and deliver real results.
Whether you're launching a couple of products or a full skincare line, understanding the key components like active ingredients, product types, and certifications can help you make confident, strategic choices for your business. And you’re in luck because we’re going to explore all of these topics in this blog article!
This article is based on a Selfnamed session with a pharmacist, skincare training manager, and public speaker MSc. Pharm. Ksenia Kumachova. Let’s dive into all of this precious knowledge to help us find out how to start a skincare line, shall we?
Understanding active ingredients in skincare products
Going in-depth of what active ingredients actually are will massively help you on your path to choosing skincare products you’re going to sell. After all, ingredients are the driving force behind your products’ performance.
The active ingredients will strongly intertwine with your brand, its messaging and promise to the customers. For example, if your audience is women aged 40+ and your business is geared towards anti-aging skincare, you’ll want to offer products with active ingredients that make the skin appear more youthful and bright, right?
Active ingredients in skincare are ingredients that are designed to target a specific skin concern. Natural ingredients are arguably better for our skin than their counterparts (like synthetic ingredients).
Natural ingredients that are derived from plants via processing them. Let’s see some examples of such ingredients and their properties:
Hylaronic acid and aloe vera are great for moisturizing the skin,
Microplankton extract has anti-aging properties and this ingredient helps preserve the collagen in our skin so that our skin stays youthful longer
Calendula helps to relieve skin dryness and soothes the skin,
Sea buckthorn promotes skin renewal and relieves dryness too,
Blueberry seed oil and argan kernel oil smooth and soften the skin while reducing roughness,
Gingko leaf extract and other plant extracts are strong antioxidants and they help our skin be youthful and healthy, while also improving the skin texture.
These are just some of the powerful natural ingredients out of many that nature offers us. And if you’re looking into private label skincare, most of Selfnamed products are certified by Ecocert which means that all of our products are made with high-quality natural and organic ingredients.
Before we get into deciphering all kinds of certifications, let’s have a look at the products Selfnamed offers and understand what’s best for your skincare dropshipping business and your customers.
White label products to choose for your skincare dropshipping business
Face care
First, there are cleansers. One of the most popular cleanser types is Micellar Water. This type of product is usually suitable for all skin types and is often used to remove make-up. The best thing is, it’s also gentle on your skin, hydrates and soothes it.
Another cleanser that’s suitable for all skin types and has a unique formulation that’s perfect for makeup removal is the Biphasic Makeup Remover. Its two-phase composition combines an oil-based and water-based phase for effortless and effective makeup removal.
Of course, there are other types of cleansers, and to find the most suitable one, we have to look at different skin types. For example, people with normal and oily skin will benefit from a Clarifying Gel or a Purifying Mousse. For dry and mature skin that requires a little more care and support, a Gentle Cleansing Milk or Oil-to-Milk Cleanser will be the best choice.
Next, there are toners. There are three types that Selfnamed offers. The first one is a Hydrating Toner which is suitable for normal to dry and mature skin as it’s infused with hyaluronic acid. This ingredient makes sure your skin is not only toned but also hydrated at the same time.
Then there’s a Purifying Toner that suits normal to dry oily skin. It’s formulated with the clarifying salicylic acid that will clarify your skin, reduce the pores, and help reduce breakouts. The purifying toner will not only tone but also refresh and clarify your skin.
Selfnamed also offers a Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Toner that’s enriched with 5% glycolic acid. It removes skin build-up and promotes the appearance of a more even skin tone.
Now we’re off to moisturizers! All of Selfnamed’s moisturizers have deeply hydrating formulas that are infused with hyaluronic acid, betaine, and different plant extracts.
For oily skin, we recommend going with the Oil-Free Hydrating Gel as it has an extremely lightweight texture that will deeply hydrate the skin without adding any extra oiliness.
For normal to combination skin, we recommend the light Moisturizing Day Cream. It has a light texture and it’s a little bit richer than the oil-free gel.
For normal to dry skin, the moisturizing day cream is the best but for dry and mature skin, the best product is the Nourishing Rich Cream with a rich texture that’s formulated with cocoa and shea butter, as well as berry extracts.
For sensitive skin, our Sensitive Skin Moisturizer is the best way to go since it’s soothing and fragrance-free. Its formula delivers lasting hydration and calms irritation, providing the ultimate care for sensitive skin.
Next, let’s look at facial oils! A product worth highlighting in this range is the Nourishing Facial Oil. It’s formulated with 11 valuable plant oils — avocado, almond, borage, jojoba, argan, and other oils. These organic oils are rich in vitamin E, antioxidants, and unsaturated fatty acids that will hydrate your skin, smoothen it and bring out a naturally healthy glow.
Moving on to the next category of white label products from Selfnamed — our age-defying range that consists of several products: the Hydrating Serum, Anti-Age Day Cream and Anti-Age Night Cream. Since both of these products are formulated with hyaluronic acid and microplankton, they will hydrate and firm your skin. The serum has the highest concentration of these components, but the day-cream will also provide deep hydration and help enhance the effects of the serum.
Next, there are several fantastic eye creams. First, there’s the Brightening Eye Cream that’s suitable for tired-looking eyes. It’s formulated with anti-fatigue herbal extracts and hydrating hyaluronic acid. It will help reduce signs of morning puffiness and dark circles.
Then there’s the Smoothing Eye Cream that’s best for mature skin around the eyes. It has the firming hyaluronic acid and softening ceramides, and it’ll help hydrate your skin and smooth wrinkles to really bring out the youthfulness of the skin.
Then, if you’re a fan of CBD products, you’re in luck because there are two products we’d like to highlight from Selfnamed. The first one is a Calming Eye Cream that’ suitable for all skin types and is formulated with cannabidiol and hyaluronic acid. It’ll soften and hydrate your skin and also reduce morning puffiness and dark circles. The other is a Calming Facial Oil that has the soothing calendula oil and hemp seed oil. This product can be used on its own directly on the skin or mixed in with a moisturizer of your choice. It’ll soothe and improve the appearance of dry and dull-looking skin.
Now we’re moving onto boosters — a product category our experienced pharmacist Ksenija Kumachova admits will take your skincare routine to the next level. There are several white label products from Selfnamed you should look into: Natural Retinol Alternative Oil Serum, Caffeine Gel Booster, and the Gingko Gel Booster.
Natural Retinol Alternative Oil Serum is the ultimate solution for radiant, rejuvenated skin. The product will be a perfect addition to any skincare product line or to be incorporated in skincare procedures or sold after the procedures.
Caffeine Gel Booster, same as coffee does to our bodies, will really wake your skin and complexion up. No matter if you use it directly on your skin or mixed with a moisturizer, it’ll help with the morning puffiness, reduce dark circles and in general will make your skin feel more energized. What’s interesting about this product, you can also add it to your favorite body moisturizer to smooth cellulite-affected skin. Two birds with stone, right?
Another option under boosters is the Gingko Gel Booster. What’s special about it is that this plant contains a lot of antioxidants that help postpone the signs of aging. It can be used starting from your 20s to prolong the youthfulness and freshness of the skin.
Body care
Next product category we’re going to look at is body products, and more specifically, body washes.
Selfnamed’s body washes will gently cleanse your skin while also leaving it hydrated. The hand and body wash has a blueberry extract with antioxidant properties and you can choose from several scents: Grapefruit, Peppermint & Dark Cedar, Ginger & Smoky Cardamom, Patchouli & Amber Vanilla.
Then there are body lotions and hand creams.
The hand creams are very hydrating thanks to shea and cocoa butter, as well as berry extracts in its ingredients. The best part is that these products are fast-absorbing and won’t make your hands feel greasy.
The body serums are lightweight and fast-absorbing so they deliver intense hydration and rejuvenation, leaving the skin feeling incredibly soft and smooth. The serum features a unique blend of nourishing oils, including Jojoba Oil and Rosehip Oil, which work together to improve skin texture and elasticity.
Hair care
Equally as important is the way we take care of our hair. Here at Selfnamed, we offer several shampoo options: Moisturizing Shampoo that’s suitable for people with normal to dry hair. It’ll gently purify your hair, leaving it moisturized, smooth, and glossy.
Another option is the Nourishing and Volumizing Shampoo, best for hair that’s lacking volume. This shampoo will also purify your hair and give it a fuller look.
You can also try the Color Care Shampoo that’s especially designed to care for coloured hair. Or the Sensitive Scalp Shampoo that’s formulated to care for dry and sensitive skin. This gentle yet effective shampoo is suitable for all skin types, making it the perfect choice for those with delicate or easily irritated scalps.
The full hair care routine also calls for a good conditioner, right? You can go for the Moisturizing Conditioner that will improve your hair texture and make the hair feel smoother and easier to style. Or the Fresh Conditioner or Gloss Conditioner – both nourish hair ends, preventing breakage and split ends.
As you can see, there are plenty of white label products that you can sell under your skincare dropshipping brand. What you decide to sell depends on your brand’s messaging and your customers' needs — you just have to take time to really study these products and their ingredients.
Another product category you can sell is sunscreen. But with sun creams there are nuances that you should keep in mind before adding them to your shop, so let’s explore that in the next section of this article.
Sunscreens: what are the differences between mineral and chemical sun protective creams?
Without a doubt, the sun is great for getting the ever-needed vitamin D, but what about its effects on your skin?
Let’s start with the basics. Sunlight is classified into UVB and UVA light. When UVB light penetrates our skin, it causes superficial sun damage, like redness and occurrence of dark spots such as hyperpigmentation spots. The UVA light, on the other hand, goes deeply into your skin and can cause the collagen in it to degrade. And when that happens, we get wrinkles. So you see, the sun can make us appear older and cause unwanted spots and redness, all of which we don’t want for our skin, right?
The solution? Using sunscreen, of course! There are two different types of sunscreen: physical (mineral) and chemical sunscreen.
Mineral or physical sunscreen contains natural ingredients like zinc oxide. This type of sunscreen is allowed to be certified as natural cosmetics as it’s derived from natural minerals. When you apply it to your skin, it sits on top of it and works like a shield from the sun. It reflects all the sunlight and prevents it from causing damage to your skin.
What’s also great about physical sunscreen is that it has a natural, broad UVA and UVB protection, and it works as long as it’s on your skin. Generally, mineral sunscreens have a long protection span.
Another group is chemical sunscreens that include ingredients such as avobenzone, oxybenzone, octinoxate, and others. Because of the ingredients, this type of sunscreen is not allowed in certified natural cosmetics.
Chemical sunscreen works by turning sunlight into heat. The sun can penetrate the skin and even cause some sensitivity. To protect your skin from both UVA and UVB rays, normally a mix of different chemical sunscreens are needed. And important to note is that chemical sunscreens get degraded by the sun so you need to reapply it every two hours.
At Selfnamed, our products are certified natural and they’re as safe as possible for your skin. A bestselling sun protection product we offer from our private label skincare collection is a SPF 30 Sunscreen. It’s a little tinted to blend seamlessly with your skin tone and it provides a high-level of UVA and UVB sun protection.
If you prefer your sunscreens without tint, then the Mineral Sunscreen SPF30 for Face & Body is a good choice. Tested for water resistance, it leaves the skin protected, hydrated, and smooth without leaving a white cast.
More recently, we’ve also launched Sun Protection SPF50 Sticks, with and without tint. Sticks are very popular in modern skincare thanks to their ease of use. And the SPF sticks have a smooth, blendable formula that glides on easily, ensuring even coverage for all skin types, including sensitive areas.
As you might’ve noticed, we’ve already briefly touched upon products that can be certified natural. Next, let’s dive deeper into what these certifications actually mean and how they impact the products you sell.
What does it mean when a product is organic or natural certified?
There are two terms we have to look at when we speak about cosmetic certifications: Ecocert and COSMOS.
Ecocert is a certifying organization that approves raw materials while also ensuring they are of the highest quality and of organic and natural origin. Ecocert also certifies product formulas, packaging, and labels to approve that they’re sustainable and natural.
COSMOS, on the other hand, is the standard that Ecocert uses in the review process. It’s the standard for natural and organic cosmetics that promotes responsible use of natural resources, sustainable sourcing of plant ingredients via organic agriculture, and sustainable manufacturing methods. So when all of that is reviewed, Ecocert then awards the product with either Ecocert COSMOS Organic or Ecocert COSMOS Natural certificate.
So in short, Ecocert is the organization that certifies natural cosmetics and COSMOS is the standard by which they award the certification.
Ideas for unique sets for your skincare dropshipping business
Now that you’re an expert on product ingredients and what makes cosmetics natural, let’s have a look at products that go well together based on their properties. You can use this as an inspiration for your skincare dropshipping brand by offering your customers bundles and sets!
First, is what we call the Classy Set. For this set you can select either a micellar cleansing water and a light moisturizing day cream or a cleansing mousse, a hydrating toner, and a light moisturizing day cream.
Then in this set, there are two seasonal options that you could add. During summer when people prefer lighter textures on their skin, you can go for the antioxidant booster, the light moisturizing cream, and an SPF 30 sunscreen. For winter, when you want to protect your skin from cold and wind, the CBD oil booster, the moisturizing day cream, the moisturizing body lotion, and a hydrating hand cream will be a great combo.
Then there’s the Afterparty Set for those who like to stay up late. A great solution for the next morning would be the caffeine booster, the brightening eye cream, and the moisturizing day cream. If there's a need for brining glow into your skin and fighting dullness, it’s best to start with the micellar cleansing water, then going over with the glow facial oil and the moisturizing day cream, and finishing it all off with the brightening eye cream.
For CBD lovers, the CBD oil booster in combination with the moisturizing day cream and the CBD eye cream would be the way to go.
For people who love their long showers, you can offer a shower set that includes the shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and the moisturizing body lotion.
Finally, the Anti-Age set for bringing youthfulness back into the skin includes gentle cleansing milk, the hydrating toner, the smoothing eye cream, the hydrating serum, and the anti-age day cream.
These are just some ideas to inspire you in your journey. You can definitely create your own sets based on your offering and your customer profile, for example, a set for young people or a suncare set, and so on!
Your skincare brand starts here
Pondering about how to start a skincare line is no easy job and taking the leap is even more challenging. From understanding the active ingredients in the products you sell to making up full skincare sets, every decision counts.
But thankfully, you’re not alone in this! Hopefully, all the valuable advice from Ksenia Kumachova and the rest of our team at Selfnamed will help you navigate the skincare jungle with ease.
Ready to put this new knowledge to action? Let’s make it happen!
