Cosmetic Makers vs GAR Labs
GAR Labs (GAR Laboratories) is a solar-powered contract manufacturer in Riverside, California that formulates, mixes, hot and cold fills, packages and palletizes hair care and skin care products. Cosmetic Makers is built for beauty brands that want formulation, production, software and fulfillment from one place.
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areas where Cosmetic Makers offers something a beauty brand needs that GAR Labs does not list on its website.
Where Cosmetic Makers leads
- Quality control software
- Live inventory and shipping-cost app
- Marketplace integration
- Retail track record
A manufacturer run on software.
Cosmetic Makers runs production, quality and fulfillment on software, so you see your product, your stock and your shipping costs as they happen.
Quality control enhanced by CM+
Every product is checked before it ships, with quality control enhanced by CM+.
Every lot tracked
Raw materials are quarantined and tested, and every lot is tracked from ingredient to shipped order.
Live inventory app
Watch your inventory and shipping costs in real time, across every channel you sell on.
Marketplace integrations
Connected to TikTok Shop and Amazon as an official partner of both, so orders flow straight to fulfillment.
Looking for a GAR Labs alternative?
Choose Cosmetic Makers if you
- are launching or growing a skincare, body care, haircare or deodorant brand
- want to start from one of 3,000+ proven stock formulas, or have one built for you
- sell on TikTok Shop or Amazon and want fulfillment under the same roof
- want live inventory and shipping costs in one app
Choose GAR Labs if you
- want formulation and development at no charge, paying only for finished product
- need ISO 22716 and ISO 9001 certification
- want bulk product in drums or totes from 110 gallons to fill elsewhere
Side by side.
GAR Labs details are from its own website and public sources, checked November 2026. "Not listed publicly" means we could not find it, not that they lack it.
| Feature | Cosmetic Makers | GAR Labs |
|---|---|---|
| Company | ||
| Founded | 10 years in manufacturing | Not listed publicly; its site cites filling equipment acquired over 30+ years |
| Headquarters | Hollywood, Florida | Riverside, California (1844 Massachusetts Ave.) |
| Business model | Contract manufacturer for beauty and personal care brands | For-hire custom contract manufacturing, from laboratory services to mixing, filling, packaging and palletizing |
| Markets | Skincare, body care, haircare, sun care, deodorants | Mid-size mass-market hair care and skin care brands, from salon brands to daily use products |
| Expertise | ||
| Stock formulas to private label | 3,000+, ready for your label or to customize | Proven template formulations and an extensive formula library for each category |
| Custom formulation | Yes, $1,800 per SKU, samples in 8 to 14 weeks | Yes; no charge for formulation or development work, only for finished product; samples in about 2 weeks |
| Specialties | Hot pour, aluminum-free, non-OTC deodorants | Hot filling (stick deodorant, lip balm, pomade, body balm), natural deodorants, metal tube filling, self-tanning |
| Makeup | Through our official partner, Lady Burd | Not made in house; its supplier list refers makeup and color cosmetics to another company |
| Technology and testing | ||
| Product formats | Creams, lotions, serums, gels, oils, washes, shampoos, balms and sticks in bottles, tubes, jars and pouches | Shampoo, conditioner, creams, lotions, balms, stick deodorants, lip balms, pomades; bottles, jars, tubes |
| Testing | Stability, microbiological, packaging compatibility and efficacy; clinical testing through a partner lab | Lab samples for client testing; automated temperature tracking; purified water system |
| Registrations and certifications | FDA-registered, state-licensed, cGMP facility | FDA registered; ISO 22716:2007 and ISO 9001:2015; California organic processed product registration; Green Business |
| Software and technology | ||
| Quality control software | Cosmetic Makers leads: Quality control enhanced by CM+; every lot tracked | Not listed publicly |
| Live inventory and shipping-cost app | Cosmetic Makers leads: Yes, real time, across every channel you sell on | Not listed publicly |
| Marketplace integration | Cosmetic Makers leads: Official TikTok Shop and Amazon partner; orders flow straight to fulfillment | Not listed publicly |
| Infrastructure | ||
| Manufacturing sites | 1, in Hollywood, Florida | One campus in Riverside, California, powered by 2,000+ solar panels |
| Production lines | 10, for bottles, tubes, jars and pouches | Not listed publicly; 100,000+ pieces combined daily capacity, tanks from 55 to 3,000 gallons |
| Packaging sourcing | 1,000+ packaging suppliers and an office in China | Client sources packaging; GAR publishes a list of recommended packaging suppliers and labels in house |
| Fulfillment warehouse | 50,000 sq ft, in the same facility | Not listed publicly; refers long-term warehousing to an outside company |
| Services for brands | ||
| Order fulfillment | Pick, pack and ship; orders in by 2pm EST ship the same day | Refers eCommerce fulfillment to outside 3PLs; freight is F.O.B. factory and customers arrange shipping |
| Retail track record | Cosmetic Makers leads: Products sold at Target, Sephora, CVS, Ulta and Whole Foods | Not listed publicly |
| Minimum order | 5,000 units per product | 5,000 pieces per product; bulk from 110 gallons per product |
| Production lead time | 8 to 12 weeks after sample approval | About 10 to 12 weeks after sample approval; bulk 4 to 6 weeks |
Questions brands ask.
Which is better for a new skincare brand?
For most new skincare, body care, haircare and deodorant brands, Cosmetic Makers is the closer fit: you can start from one of 3,000+ stock formulas, and formulation, production, testing and fulfillment happen in one building, tracked in software you can see.
When is GAR Labs the better choice?
GAR Labs suits hair care and skin care brands ordering 5,000 pieces or more that want free formulation work, ISO 22716 and ISO 9001 certified production, or bulk drums and totes for filling elsewhere. It also hot fills deodorants, balms and pomades.
Do both companies offer fulfillment?
Cosmetic Makers runs a 50,000 sq ft fulfillment warehouse in the same facility, connected to TikTok Shop and Amazon, with same-day shipping for orders in by 2pm EST. GAR Labs ships F.O.B. its factory and recommends outside warehousing and eCommerce fulfillment companies on its Shipping and Warehouse page.
More comparisons.
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- Cosmetic Makers vs Hydrox Laboratories Private label liquid personal care, baby care, hand hygiene, antiseptic and salon products for healthcare, beauty and retail
- Cosmetic Makers vs Indigo Private Label Natural private label makeup, skincare and hair care with no minimums on stock formulas, for indie brands, salons and makeup artists
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- Cosmetic Makers vs Innacos Labs Clean color cosmetics and skincare: private label, custom formulating and contract manufacturing for beauty entrepreneurs
Sources
- GAR Labs homepage, garlabs.com
- GAR Labs: FAQ (minimums, lead times, freight), garlabs.com/frequently-asked-questions
- GAR Labs: Certificates, registrations and awards, garlabs.com/certificates-registrations-awards
- GAR Labs: Shipping and warehouse, garlabs.com/shipping-warehouse
- GAR Labs: Packaging suppliers, garlabs.com/packaging-suppliers
- GAR Labs: Deodorant manufacturer, garlabs.com/deodorant-manufacturer
Published by Cosmetic Makers. See an error about GAR Labs? Email [email protected] and we will correct it.
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