How It Works
From First Call to Final Delivery
built around your brand.
Working with a skincare manufacturer can feel opaque from the outside. Pricing structures vary, timelines are inconsistent across vendors, and the actual steps between "I want to launch a brand" and "my product is on the shelf" are rarely spelled out clearly. Trilogy Laboratories operates differently — with two distinct manufacturing paths, a defined step-by-step process for each, and a single integrated team that handles formulation through fulfillment under one roof at our GMP ISO 22716-certified facility in Fort Myers, Florida.
Co-founded by Dr. Kristen Flaharty, PharmD, and Dr. Patrick M. Flaharty, MD, FAACS, Trilogy was built to make clinical-grade skincare manufacturing accessible to a wider range of partners than the industry typically supports — from solo estheticians launching a first product to established beauty brands scaling national distribution. Whichever path is right for your project, the standards behind it are the same.
Choose Your Path
Two Manufacturing Paths
Trilogy serves two distinct manufacturing paths. Both deliver clinical-grade skincare manufactured to GMP ISO 22716 standards. The difference is whether the formulation starts from our existing library or from a blank slate.
Path 01
Private Label
Choose from 554+ proven formulations, customize packaging and label design, and bring a clinical-grade skincare line to market quickly — without funding formulation development. The fastest path from inquiry to shipment.
Path 02
Custom Manufacturing
Build proprietary formulations from scratch or extend an existing base formula through structured development with our in-house chemistry team. The right path when the brand requires formulation differentiation the library cannot deliver.
Both paths are supported by the same in-house team — cosmetic chemists, a Doctor of Pharmacy, licensed estheticians, and brand consultants — and produce product to the same testing, documentation, and quality control standards.
The Process
The Private Label Process
The private label process is structured to move a new brand from initial inquiry to first shipment in approximately 6 to 8 weeks. Reorders of existing private label products typically ship within 3 to 5 weeks once artwork and materials are on file. The exact timeline depends on packaging selection, label design complexity, and order size.
Initial Consultation
Brand vision, target audience, SKU strategy, and budget framework discussed with a brand consultant. The conversation produces a recommended launch lineup from the 554+ formulation library.
Formulation Selection and Samples
Review the recommended formulations and order paid samples — available directly through the website or coordinated through your brand consultant after the consultation — to evaluate the SKUs that anchor the launch.
Packaging Selection
Choose packaging formats — tubes, bottles, jars, pumps, airless containers, refillable dispensers, sachets — and finishes that align with the brand's positioning.
Label Design
Submit label artwork or work with our brand consultants to finalize label design. We can refer you to trusted design partners when full brand design support is needed. Designs are reviewed for regulatory compliance and INCI accuracy before approval.
Quote Approval and Deposit
The quote is finalized, the deposit is paid, and the production clock begins once all artwork and materials are approved and received.
Manufacturing and Quality Control
Production runs at the Fort Myers facility under GMP ISO 22716 standards, with in-process quality control at each stage and final release testing before shipment.
Documentation and Shipment
Certificate of Analysis, INCI labeling, stability data, and batch records included with every order. Shelf-ready product ships direct from Fort Myers.
Custom Process
The Custom Manufacturing Process
The custom manufacturing process moves from initial concept through formulation development to full production. Custom development is led by co-founder Dr. Kristen Flaharty, PharmD, drawing on more than 20 years of pharmaceutical product development experience.
Discovery and Brief
Brand vision, performance brief, claim strategy, target audience, and budget framework documented before formulation work begins.
Active Ingredient Strategy
The chemistry team identifies active ingredients that match the performance brief and maps concentration levels required to deliver the intended effect.
Base Formulation Development
The supporting formulation is built around the actives — emulsion system, delivery mechanism, preservation system, and sensory profile engineered to support performance.
Bench Sampling and Iteration
Initial samples are produced for client evaluation. Adjustments to active concentration, sensory profile, viscosity, scent, and packaging compatibility are made through structured iteration cycles.
Stability, Microbial, and Compatibility Testing
Every custom formulation undergoes accelerated and real-time stability testing, microbial challenge testing, and packaging compatibility verification before approval.
Pilot Batch Production
A pilot batch is produced under full GMP conditions to validate the formulation scales accurately from bench to production.
Full Production
Final production runs scale from 25 to 100,000+ units, with reorder protocols and reformulation support available as the brand grows.
Documentation and Delivery
Complete documentation package — Certificate of Analysis, INCI labeling, stability data, batch records, MoCRA-compliant documentation — included with every order.
Custom development typically runs three to nine months from initial consultation to first production run, depending on complexity. Most projects fall in the middle to upper end of that range — straightforward projects can occasionally complete in three months, while complex active blends and extensive stability testing protocols extend the timeline. Production after development takes an additional 6 to 8 weeks.
What Stays
What Stays Constant Across Both Paths
Whichever manufacturing path is right for your project, the underlying standards are the same. The difference between private label and custom is where the formulation work happens — not the rigor applied to it.
GMP ISO 22716 Manufacturing
Every order produced under the international cosmetic Good Manufacturing Practice standard.
MoCRA Compliance
Every order produced and documented in alignment with current federal cosmetic regulatory requirements.
In-House Testing
Stability, microbial challenge, and packaging compatibility testing applied across the library and to every custom formulation.
Documentation Package
Certificate of Analysis, INCI ingredient labeling, stability data, and batch records included with every order.
In-House Team
Cosmetic chemists, a Doctor of Pharmacy, licensed estheticians, and brand consultants supporting every project from inquiry to fulfillment.
Who
Who You Work With
Trilogy is structured as an integrated team — not a sales organization placing orders with a third-party plant. Every project moves through a coordinated handoff between specialists who own their part of the process.
Brand Consultants
First point of contact. SKU strategy, packaging selection, launch sequencing, and pricing positioning
Cosmetic Chemists
Formulation library evaluation, custom formulation development, reformulation support, and bench sampling.
Doctor of Pharmacy
Co-founder Dr. Kristen Flaharty, PharmD, leads formulation philosophy and active ingredient strategy across the library and custom development.
Licensed Estheticians
Real-world evaluation of every formulation on actual skin before library inclusion or production approval.
Quality Control Team
In-house QC across raw materials, batch production, fill, and final release.
Production and Fulfillment
GMP-compliant manufacturing, in-house filling and packaging, and direct-to-client shipment from Fort Myers.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions About Working With Trilogy
Which manufacturing path is right for my brand?
The private label path is the fastest route to market and the most cost-effective for brands that can launch with proven library formulations. The custom path is the right choice when the brand needs proprietary formulations, claim-defensible products, or formulation chemistry built around a specific performance brief. Brand consultants help scope the right path during the initial consultation.
How long does the full process take?
New private label brand launches typically ship within 6 to 8 weeks of quote approval, paid deposit, and finalized artwork. Private label reorders typically ship within 3 to 5 weeks. Custom formulation development typically runs three to nine months from concept to first production run, depending on complexity, with most projects falling in the middle to upper end of that range. Production after custom development is complete takes an additional 6 to 8 weeks.
What is the minimum order to get started?
Trilogy's minimum order is 25 units per SKU for both private label and custom-formulated products. Custom development includes upfront formulation and testing fees before production minimums apply.
Do I need a finished brand identity before starting?
No. Many partners come in with a concept and target audience but no finished brand identity. Brand consultants help scope the SKU lineup, packaging selection, and label design strategy — and can refer you to trusted design partners when full brand design support is needed.
Can I order samples before committing to a production run?
Yes. Paid samples are available for private label formulations under evaluation — order directly through the Trilogy website or coordinate sample selection through your brand consultant after the initial consultation. For custom development, bench samples are produced as part of the structured iteration process for client review and approval before final production.
What documentation comes with my order?
Every order ships with Certificate of Analysis documentation, INCI ingredient labeling, batch records, and MoCRA-compliant supporting documentation. Stability data is available on request. Full MoCRA registration is handled through trusted regulatory partners when full registration support is needed.
Can I switch from private label to custom later?
Yes. The hybrid path — launching with private label formulations to validate the brand, then transitioning top-performing SKUs to custom formulations — is one of the most common Trilogy growth sequences.