Cosmetic Makers vs Maesa
Maesa is a New York beauty brand incubator, founded in 1997, that creates its own brands and, through Maesa Managed Brands, develops exclusive beauty lines for retailers and brands. 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 Maesa does not list on its website.
Where Cosmetic Makers leads
- Stock formulas to private label
- Live inventory and shipping-cost app
- Marketplace integration
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 Maesa 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 Maesa if you
- are a retailer that wants a partner to create and manage an exclusive beauty brand for your shelves
- want design, photography, brand management and marketing from the same partner that develops the product
- need fragrance development, since Maesa lists olfactive development in house
Side by side.
Maesa 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 | Maesa |
|---|---|---|
| Company | ||
| Founded | 10 years in manufacturing | 1997, per Bain Capital |
| Headquarters | Hollywood, Florida | 225 Liberty Street, New York, NY; offices in Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Dongguan, China |
| Business model | Contract manufacturer for beauty and personal care brands | Brand incubator with owned brands; Managed Brands creates proprietary beauty lines for retailers and brands |
| Markets | Skincare, body care, haircare, sun care, deodorants | Retailers and beauty brands; mass, drug and specialty retail, per Bain Capital |
| Expertise | ||
| Stock formulas to private label | Cosmetic Makers leads: 3,000+, ready for your label or to customize | Not listed publicly |
| Custom formulation | Yes, $1,800 per SKU, samples in 8 to 14 weeks | Yes; lists R&D, custom formula creation, olfactive development |
| Specialties | Hot pour, aluminum-free, non-OTC deodorants | Brand incubation, fragrance development, design studio, marketing for retailer-owned beauty lines |
| Makeup | Through our official partner, Lady Burd | Color cosmetics listed among categories, per Bain Capital; no in-house makeup plant described |
| Technology and testing | ||
| Product formats | Creams, lotions, serums, gels, oils, washes, shampoos, balms and sticks in bottles, tubes, jars and pouches | Haircare, colour cosmetics, personal care and fragrance, per Bain Capital |
| Testing | Stability, microbiological, packaging compatibility and efficacy; clinical testing through a partner lab | Clinical and consumer testing listed |
| Registrations and certifications | FDA-registered, state-licensed, cGMP facility | EcoVadis Silver Medal for sustainability; no manufacturing certifications listed |
| Software and technology | ||
| Quality control software | Quality control enhanced by CM+; every lot tracked | Not listed publicly; lists factory qualification auditing, WERCS and a QC field team |
| 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 | Lists digital shelf and e-commerce / DTC under marketing; no marketplace integration described |
| Infrastructure | ||
| Manufacturing sites | 1, in Hollywood, Florida | Lists world-class global manufacturing; plant locations not published |
| Production lines | 10, for bottles, tubes, jars and pouches | Not listed publicly |
| Packaging sourcing | 1,000+ packaging suppliers and an office in China | In-house packaging development and engineering, strategic sourcing; offices in Hong Kong and Dongguan, China |
| Fulfillment warehouse | 50,000 sq ft, in the same facility | Lists warehousing and inventory management; location and size not published |
| Services for brands | ||
| Order fulfillment | Pick, pack and ship; orders in by 2pm EST ship the same day | Lists EDI, domestic and international distribution, import and export; DTC order shipping not described |
| Retail track record | Products sold at Target, Sephora, CVS, Ulta and Whole Foods | Walmart, Target, Sephora, AS Watson, Ulta, Dollar General, H&M, per Bain Capital |
| Minimum order | 5,000 units per product | Not listed publicly |
| 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 Maesa the better choice?
Maesa suits retailers and brands that want a partner to create a whole brand, from concept, design and marketing to product, rather than only a manufacturer. It also lists fragrance development in house.
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. Maesa lists warehousing, inventory management, EDI and domestic and international distribution, but does not publish a warehouse location or direct-to-consumer order shipping.
More comparisons.
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- Cosmetic Makers vs Pravada Private Label Low-minimum private label, semi-custom and custom skin care, hair care and bath and body products
- Cosmetic Makers vs Prime Matter Labs Custom development and contract manufacturing of skin, sun, hair and body care, including OTC, aerosol and bag-on-valve products
- Cosmetic Makers vs Pure Source Cosmetic and OTC products, from creams to capsules
- Cosmetic Makers vs Radical Cosmetics Family-owned maker of private label and contract manufactured color cosmetics, plus some skin care
Sources
- Maesa homepage, maesa.com
- Maesa: About us, maesa.com/pages/about-us
- Maesa: Managed Brands, maesa.com/pages/private-brands
- Maesa: Sustainability, maesa.com/pages/sustainability
- Maesa: Contact us (locations), maesa.com/pages/contact-us
- Bain Capital: Maesa enters next growth phase, baincapital.com/news/maesa-enters-next-growth-phase-bain-capital-private-equity-its-new-partner
Published by Cosmetic Makers. See an error about Maesa? Email [email protected] and we will correct it.
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