§1What this business is
Deionised water and cocamidopropyl betaine are mixed, sodium lauryl sulphate and disodium cocamido are added, and the batch is heated to 60°C in a steam-jacketed kettle for 40–50 minutes. After cooling, propylene glycol and preservatives are stirred in, the gel is homogenised, fragrance added and pH set between 7 and 8. It is then filled into bottles and packed. Unlike soap, body wash contains no saponified oil and feels less drying.
Capacity: 700 bottles of 200 ml a day, 2,10,000 a year at full capacity (8 hours, 300 days); 40% in year 1.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
Someone with a chemistry or FMCG background, or a seller with hotel, salon or online buyers.
Who it is not for
Someone without a plan or budget to build a brand.
Advantages
- Small machine set (₹6.15 lakh)
- Shower gels are replacing bar soap in cities, as the report notes
- Raw materials are standard chemicals, easy to buy
- Same plant can make liquid hand wash and shampoo bases
Drawbacks
- Bottles are the biggest single cost (₹14 each)
- Crowded shelf with strong national brands
- Cosmetics licence and label rules apply
- Fragrance and preservative quality decide repeat sales
Skills you need
- Surfactant formulation and pH control
- Hygiene and batch records
- Filling and packaging
- Distribution and online selling
Why difficulty 3/5: Simple batch process; branding, licence and shelf competition are the hard parts.
§3Market
Who buys
- Urban households
- Hotels, gyms and spas
- Private-label and online brands
How it sells
- Supermarkets and cosmetic shops
- Online marketplaces
- Hotel-supply distributors
Good to know
- The report quotes a global body-wash market growing at a 3.6% CAGR to 2023.
- Raw material at full capacity costs ₹71.76 lakh a year in the report.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Steam-jacketed kettle, 225 litres | 1 | ₹82,500 |
| Agitator | 1 | ₹15,000 |
| Homogeniser | 1 | ₹2,42,000 |
| Paste filling and sealing machine | 1 | ₹1,25,000 |
| Storage tank | 1 | ₹1,00,000 |
| Other equipment and hand tools | — | ₹50,000 |
From: PMEGP sample project report — Bodywash Gel (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
- Sodium lauryl sulphate13,000 kg a year at full capacity, ₹170 a kg
- Cocamidopropyl betaine8,000 litres a year, ₹85 a litre
- Disodium cocamido2,200 litres a year, ₹120 a litre
- Propylene glycol1,600 kg a year, ₹100 a kg
- Deionised water18,000 litres a year, ₹14 a litre
- 200 ml bottles2,15,000 a year at ₹14 each — the largest cost
- Fragrance and other consumables₹6,00,000 a year (lump sum)
From: PMEGP sample project report — Bodywash Gel (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
§5Licences & registration
- Cosmetics manufacturing licence from the State Drugs Control (Licensing) Authority
- State Pollution Control Board NOC
- Udyam registration
- GST
- Legal Metrology registration for packed goods
- Trademark for the brand (if needed)
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
- Stand-Up IndiaCentralClosed₹10 lakh – ₹1 crore loan
The report is a PMEGP sample. MUDRA and CGTMSE can back the loan; Stand-Up India suits SC/ST and women founders.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Building/shed (1,000 sq ft) ₹4.00 lakh + plant & machinery ₹6.15 lakh + furniture ₹1.50 lakh + working capital ₹4.44 lakh = ₹16.09 lakh.
Working capital: Working capital ₹4.44 lakh, of which a bank loan of ₹4.00 lakh; 10 days of raw material and finished stock.
Year not printed on the report — check current machinery prices.
§8Export potential
Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export
Export council / board: CHEMEXCIL
- Check each importing country's cosmetic ingredient rules before export.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Batch contamination or separation
- Skin irritation complaints
- Price war with big brands
- Chemical price rise
§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan
A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.
- Days 1–30: Visit a working body wash / shower gel manufacturing unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Cosmetics manufacturing licence from the State Drugs Control (Licensing) Authority, State Pollution Control Board NOC), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
- Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.
§11Who to connect with
Associations, clusters and training institutes — the directory is being built. Connect
§12Watch
There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.
Want to start Body Wash / Shower Gel Manufacturing?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.