§1What this business is

Oils, waxes and water phases are heated and emulsified in stainless-steel jacketed kettles with stirrers, then filled into tubes and sealed. The profile covers vanishing, cleansing and cold cream for a market growing with urbanisation and beauty awareness.

Capacity: 6,84,000 tubes and packs a year; projected sales ₹142.80 lakh at full capacity.

§2Is it right for you?

Who it is for

A chemist or pharmacist with a plan to build a regional brand.

Who it is not for

Someone without money for working capital and marketing.

Advantages

  • Low machinery cost (₹3.16 lakh)
  • Growing cosmetics market in towns and villages
  • Same kettles can make lotions and other creams
  • Good surplus if sales reach capacity

Drawbacks

  • Cosmetics manufacturing licence and lab testing required
  • Huge brand competition and advertising
  • Very large working capital
  • Skin complaints can ruin a brand

Skills you need

  • Cosmetic formulation
  • Quality and stability testing
  • Regulatory paperwork
  • Brand building and distribution

Why difficulty 3/5: Simple process, but licensing, testing and brand-building take effort and capital.

§3Market

Who buys

  • Women and men buying skin care
  • Beauty parlours

How it sells

  • Cosmetic and general stores via distributors
  • Chemists
  • Online marketplaces

Good to know

  • The profile says demand for vanishing, cleansing and cold cream is rising with urbanisation, beauty awareness and living standards, in India and abroad.

§4Raw material & machinery

ItemQtyCost
SS steam-jacketed kettle, 30 capacity1—
SS kettle with stirrer, 50 kg capacity1—
Tube filling machine1—
Pneumatic tube sealing machine1—
Lab equipment, tools, work tables, furniture, office equipment, installation and electrification1 lot₹3,16,000 (all equipment together)

From: KVIC Project Profile — Face Cream and Cleansing Lotion (PMEGP)

  • Oils, waxes, emulsifiers, perfume and preservativesraw material ₹115.92 lakh a year at full capacity
  • Tubes, jars and cartonslabels and packing ₹75,000 a year

From: KVIC Project Profile — Face Cream and Cleansing Lotion (PMEGP)

§5Licences & registration

  1. Cosmetics manufacturing licence from the State Drug Controller (Cosmetics Rules, 2020)
  2. Udyam registration
  3. GST registration
  4. Legal Metrology registration for pre-packed goods
  5. Trademark for your brand name (optional)

We can do this registration for you

§6Schemes & subsidies

PMEGP fits (the report was made for it); MUDRA gives loans up to ₹20 lakh; CGTMSE lets the bank lend without collateral.

§7Money

How the investment is worked out: Equipment ₹3.16 lakh, working capital ₹20.50 lakh = ₹23.66 lakh. Shed rented.

Working capital: Working capital ₹20.50 lakh — about 87% of the project — because raw material runs to ₹115.92 lakh a year.

Year not printed on the KVIC profile — check current machinery prices.

How to prepare a loan file

§8Export potential

The project report gives no HS code — find the right 8-digit ITC(HS) code on the DGFT website before you export.

§9Risks — where people fail

  • Regulatory action for poor labelling or quality
  • Brand competition
  • Raw material price rises
  • Unsold stock expiring

§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan

A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.

  1. Days 1–30: Visit a working face cream & cleansing lotion unit unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
  2. Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Cosmetics manufacturing licence from the State Drug Controller (Cosmetics Rules, 2020), Udyam registration), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
  3. Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.

§11Who to connect with

Not verified yet

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 Face Cream & Cleansing Lotion Unit?

DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.

Get a DPR / loan file made

Sources

  1. KVIC Project Profile — Face Cream and Cleansing Lotion (PMEGP)

Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.