Insider Tips for Product Planning: Launching Hydrogel Skincare

Overview

In recent years, hydrogel-based skincare products have gained significant popularity in the beauty industry. These products are particularly noted for their hydration and skin-soothing effects, making them a hit among consumers. The unique texture and efficacy of hydrogels are not only appealing in themselves but also pave the way for a variety of product forms to enter the market, broadening consumer choices.

This post aims to explore the elements that product planners must carefully consider in the process of planning and developing hydrogel products. We will systematically examine each stage of product planning, from concept development and ingredient selection to the manufacturing process and quality control, to provide a deep understanding and strategy necessary for effectively launching hydrogel products in the market.

Product Concept and Ingredient Selection

The Importance of a Unique Concept for Market Competitiveness

The skincare market currently boasts a diverse range of hydrogel products. In such a competitive environment, having a product with a distinct concept is crucial for success. It's important to develop a unique idea and define a clear target market. The product planning stage should involve analyzing market trends and deeply understanding consumer needs to develop a concept that stands out from competitors. Additionally, aligning the product’s efficacy and design with its concept is vital.

Innovation in Exterior Design

Recently, the appearance of hydrogel products has become increasingly important. Products utilizing unique color schemes, such as marbling or gradation, are catching consumers' eyes. Providing a sophisticated and original appearance by combining various colors, rather than just a single tone, is essential. Such designs offer visual pleasure to consumers and enhance the product's appeal.

Selecting a Manufacturer: Key Considerations

The manufacturing process of hydrogel products is complex and significantly impacts the quality and design of the product. Therefore, selecting a manufacturer with excellent production capabilities is crucial. When choosing a manufacturer, their technical ability, quality control systems, and experience in product design should be closely examined. Decisions regarding the product’s shape and color must be made within the manufacturer’s capability range and should be thoroughly discussed early in the product development process.

Selection of Essential Ingredients and Concept Ingredients

Basic components of hydrogel products typically include water, crosslinkers (usually polymers), and moisturizers. These basic ingredients determine the fundamental texture and efficacy of the product. Additionally, selecting supplementary ingredients that align with the product's concept and efficacy is important. For instance, aloe vera or green tea extract can be chosen for skin-soothing effects, while antioxidants may be included for anti-aging properties. Selecting concept ingredients plays a crucial role in differentiating the product and enhancing its competitiveness in the market. Safety, efficacy, and consumer preferences should be considered when choosing these ingredients.

Manufacturing Process

Understanding the product's manufacturing process is fundamental for a product planner. The following describes the general process, though there may be slight variations depending on the manufacturer.

Formulation

The first step in manufacturing hydrogel products is the creation of an accurate formulation. The quality, proportion, and method of mixing the ingredients critically impact the final quality of the product. The formulation process should be based on the product's efficacy, safety, and texture, making it one of the most crucial aspects of product development.

OPP Film Coating

After formulation, the hydrogel is coated with an Oriented Polypropylene (OPP) film. This coating process ensures the hydrogel maintains the proper shape and thickness. Controlling the thickness of the product is important as excessive thickness can lead to material waste and increased costs.

Cooling Process

The coated hydrogel then undergoes a cooling process. Cooling is essential for hardening and stabilizing the hydrogel. This step significantly affects the final texture and efficacy of the product, requiring precise control of temperature and duration.

Cutting Process

Once cooling is complete, the hydrogel is cut into the desired size and shape. This cutting process directly impacts the end-user experience, necessitating high-quality control and precision.

Packaging Process

The cut hydrogel products are then packaged. Individually packaged products provide proper protection and convenience to consumers. For multi-pack products, they are packaged directly into containers without OPP film, enhancing usability.

Case of Tray-type Hydrogel Products

Tray-type hydrogel products are produced by pouring the hydrogel formulation into trays and then cooling. This method allows for thicker product forms but has the disadvantages of lower productivity and higher costs. Additionally, the number of factories using this production method is decreasing domestically.

Quality Control

Next, we will look at the quality elements that product planners should check for each manufacturing process. These can be used when supervising mass production or when requesting a pre-production consultation from the manufacturer.

Quality Control in the Formulation Process

All ingredients must meet specifications, and their ratio and mixing should be accurate. Microbial and preservative efficacy tests should be conducted to ensure there are no issues with the bulk (formulation), and these should be requested from the manufacturer.

Quality Control in the OPP Film Coating Process

Sometimes, uneven coating occurs due to aged equipment. The uniformity of the hydrogel's thickness and distribution must be checked. Additionally, conducting physical tests to examine the tensile strength and elasticity of the coated product is beneficial.

Quality Control in the Cooling Process

Monitoring to ensure that the set temperature and duration are maintained accurately during cooling is crucial. After cooling, the hydrogel's hardness and structural stability should be evaluated. However, this can be a challenging area to approach without specialized knowledge.

Quality Control in the Cutting Process

The size and shape of the cut product should conform precisely to specifications. The cleanliness and uniformity of the cut surfaces also need to be checked.

** Note that the OPP film coating, cooling, and cutting processes are often conducted in one step, making it difficult to check each process separately.

Quality Control in the Packaging Process

The packaging must be robust and complete to safely protect the product. It is essential to ensure that the packaging design or size matches what was requested. Additionally, checking that the packaging is fully sealed and prevents the ingress of air or moisture is highly recommended.

Final Quality Inspection

A comprehensive quality check of the final product after all manufacturing processes is essential, and obtaining a Certificate of Analysis (COA) from the manufacturer is necessary. Check for any issues with lot numbers and barcodes. Lastly, requesting stability and compatibility tests for the finished product from the manufacturer can be a good approach to account for unforeseen variables.

Conclusion

Developing and launching hydrogel skincare products requires a deep understanding of the market, creative product design, and rigorous quality control. To succeed in the market, a unique product concept and attractive exterior design are essential. In the manufacturing process, from accurate formulation to coating, cooling, cutting, and packaging, each stage's quality must be meticulously managed. This is crucial for ensuring the product's efficacy, safety, and customer satisfaction.

For product planners, understanding and accurately assessing each of these stages, along with keeping abreast of customer needs and market trends, is vital. Although challenging for beginners in product planning, this process presents an important opportunity for successful product launches.