Cosmetic Makers vs Hydrox Laboratories
Hydrox Laboratories is an Elgin, Illinois manufacturer established in 1913, now part of Mentholatum, that makes antiseptics, hand hygiene, baby, bath and body and salon products under its own brands and as private label. 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 Hydrox Laboratories does not list on its website.
Where Cosmetic Makers leads
- Makeup
- Live inventory and shipping-cost app
- Marketplace integration
- Order fulfillment
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 Hydrox Laboratories 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 Hydrox Laboratories if you
- need OTC antiseptics, hand sanitizers or alcohol-based products: it is ATF-authorized and FDA and EPA registered
- need hospital and baby care products, or hair color developers, under your brand
- need very large liquid volumes: it cites 400 million units of annual capacity
Side by side.
Hydrox Laboratories 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 | Hydrox Laboratories |
|---|---|---|
| Company | ||
| Founded | 10 years in manufacturing | 1913 |
| Headquarters | Hollywood, Florida | Elgin, Illinois (825 Tollgate Rd); acquired by Mentholatum, per Mentholatum |
| Business model | Contract manufacturer for beauty and personal care brands | Own brands (Hydrox, Kuretek, Fresh Moment) plus private label of its products for other brands |
| Markets | Skincare, body care, haircare, sun care, deodorants | Healthcare (hospitals, clinics), beauty and salon, and retail |
| Expertise | ||
| Stock formulas to private label | 3,000+, ready for your label or to customize | Yes, its healthcare, retail and beauty products are available for private label |
| Custom formulation | Yes, $1,800 per SKU, samples in 8 to 14 weeks | R&D for new formulas or enhancements of existing formulas |
| Specialties | Hot pour, aluminum-free, non-OTC deodorants | Liquid packaging of all sizes; hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, antiseptics, hand sanitizer, hair developers |
| Makeup | Cosmetic Makers leads: Through our official partner, Lady Burd | Not listed publicly |
| Technology and testing | ||
| Product formats | Creams, lotions, serums, gels, oils, washes, shampoos, balms and sticks in bottles, tubes, jars and pouches | Liquids from 1 oz to 500-gallon totes (mainly 2 and 4 oz): soaps, sanitizers, shampoo, lotion, baby oil, developers |
| Testing | Stability, microbiological, packaging compatibility and efficacy; clinical testing through a partner lab | Onsite microbiology and analytical lab (infrared, gas chromatography), storage stability, water validation |
| Registrations and certifications | FDA-registered, state-licensed, cGMP facility | FDA and EPA registered for OTC and cosmetic products; cGMP; ATF-authorized for alcohol products |
| Software and technology | ||
| Quality control software | Quality control enhanced by CM+; every lot tracked | Not listed publicly; uses barcode scanners for label control and 5-year traceable batch retains |
| 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 100,000+ sq ft facility in Elgin, Illinois |
| Production lines | 10, for bottles, tubes, jars and pouches | 11 production lines; 400 million unit annual capacity |
| Packaging sourcing | 1,000+ packaging suppliers and an office in China | Not listed publicly; offers in-house labeling, carton label printing and tamper-evident caps |
| Fulfillment warehouse | 50,000 sq ft, in the same facility | Warehousing is part of its 100,000+ sq ft facility; fulfillment for clients not described |
| Services for brands | ||
| Order fulfillment | Cosmetic Makers leads: Pick, pack and ship; orders in by 2pm EST ship the same day | Not listed publicly |
| Retail track record | Products sold at Target, Sephora, CVS, Ulta and Whole Foods | Says it serves 4,000 retail stores and 5,000 US hospitals, and has done private label for Fortune 500 companies |
| Minimum order | 5,000 units per product | Not listed publicly; says it runs large and small production |
| Production lead time | 8 to 12 weeks after sample approval | Not listed publicly |
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 Hydrox Laboratories the better choice?
Hydrox Laboratories suits brands and retailers that need private label liquids such as antiseptics, hand sanitizers, hand soaps, baby care or hair developers, made at high volume by an FDA and EPA registered, ATF-authorized plant with 11 production lines.
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. We could not find fulfillment services on Hydrox Laboratories' website.
More comparisons.
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Sources
- Hydrox Laboratories homepage, hydroxlabs.com
- Hydrox: Our story, hydroxlabs.com/aboutus/ourstory
- Hydrox: Production, packaging, quality, hydroxlabs.com/aboutus/productionpackagingquality
- Hydrox: Private label, hydroxlabs.com/private-label
- Mentholatum: OEM manufacturing (Hydrox acquisition), mentholatum.com/oem-manufacturing
Published by Cosmetic Makers. See an error about Hydrox Laboratories? Email [email protected] and we will correct it.
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