Vegan ingredients, responsible sourcing, and transparent claims can influence which beauty brands shoppers choose. Explore how aligning product development with customer values can build trust, encourage repeat purchases, and strengthen brand loyalty.

Learn why NourishUs Naturals is transitioning select formulations from candelilla wax to sunflower wax as harvesting and supply pressures evolve.

We recently heard from a fellow manufacturer who had just been handed a formula by a new customer. The customer was very proud of the formula: it performed well, it felt great, and their volunteer test group loved it. There was just one problem: they wanted COSMOS certification through Ecocert, but the formula as developed did not meet the standard’s requirements. The original formulator hadn’t checked those requirements before the formula was built. Now this customer is facing a choice between reformulating (which means new stability work, additional testing, and a delayed launch while that work is completed) or giving up the certification they wanted in the first place.  This happens more often than you'd think, and it's almost always avoidable. Avoiding this starts with clear requirements and ingredient documentation before formulation.  Formulate to the Finish Line, Not From the Starting Line  Most formulation problems that show up late in a project were actually decided early, before a single ingredient was weighed. If you know where a product needs to end up, you can build the path backward from there:  Which market(s) will it sell in? US, Canada, EU, and Korea all have different documentation and ingredient requirements.  Which certification(s) does the brand want? Standards and programs such as COSMOS, NATRUE, organic certification, and cruelty-free certification each have their own requirements. Identify the specific standard or program, then confirm what ingredient, sourcing, and supplier documentation it requires.  What claims will go on the label and the website? "Vegan," "no added sulfates," and "made in the USA" all need support you can produce on request.  Those answers can affect ingredient choices, sourcing, manufacturing, documentation, and label wording. That’s why these questions need to be answered before formulating starts, not after.  Essential Ingredient Documents to Gather Before Formulation  Here’s the starting checklist we recommend reviewing for each raw material before it goes into a development formula. Which documents you need will depend on the ingredient, your target markets, and your certification goals.  Certificates of Analysis (COAs) Lot-specific test results showing how the material compares with its specifications. If a supplier can't provide one, that's information too.  Safety Data Sheets (SDS) Safety Data Sheets provide information about hazards, handling, and storage. Request them where applicable to the material; they may also be requested during certification audits. INCI Names and Composition Breakdowns Trade names hide a lot. A "natural preservative blend" might contain a component that disqualifies the whole formula from a certification. You need to know what's actually inside every blend, base, and botanical extract.  Ingredient Origin and Processing Statements Vegan status, animal-derived/byproduct content, GMO status, and extraction method. Many certifications restrict not just what an ingredient is but how it was made.  Certification and Conformity Documentation If certification is a goal, check every raw material against the chosen standard’s requirements before including it in the formula. Obtain the supplier documentation needed to support that review, and confirm any uncertainties with your certification body. Ingredient eligibility is one part of certification; manufacturing, packaging, and other requirements may also apply. Certification also doesn’t replace the safety and labeling requirements that apply wherever you plan to sell. Allergen and Restricted Substance Information Fragrance allergen declarations, International Fragrance Association (IFRA) Certificates of Conformity for fragrance mixtures where applicable, and relevant restriction information for essential oils and other scent materials, plus documentation for any ingredients with regulatory limits in your target markets. These documents help you evaluate ingredients, but they don’t establish the safety of the finished product on their own. You’ll also need a plan for evaluating and documenting the finished formula’s safety. Share Your Requirements With Your Contract Manufacturer If you're partnering with a contract manufacturer (CM), it's essential to communicate your certification requirements before formulation begins, as those requirements directly influence how the product is formulated.  Every raw material selection, preservative choice, and fragrance decision needs to take those requirements into account. Finding out later that a finished formula doesn’t qualify can mean changing ingredients, repeating testing, and pushing back your launch. And here's a useful vetting tip: pay attention to the questions they ask at the beginning. A reputable CM should be asking you these questions up front. If your CM is willing to begin product development without understanding where the product will be sold, what certifications it needs to meet, and what claims you intend to make, that's a red flag. Before discussing texture, fragrance, or other formulation details, the first question should be: “What does this formula need to comply with?" Those requirements shape every subsequent development decision.  If you're your own manufacturer, the same rule applies, but now you are responsible for both roles. Get your documents in order before you start the formula. Confirm your certification standards, obtain the necessary documentation from your suppliers, and verify every ingredient against your requirements. Compliance is easiest to build into a formula from day one and much harder to add after the fact.  It's much easier to be your own toughest gatekeeper at the start of a project than to be your own disappointed client at the end of one.  Why Documentation Matters for Custom and Semi-Custom Formulation When a client brings us a formula or asks us to develop one, the documentation conversation happens at the very beginning of the project. Not because we love paperwork, but because we've seen what happens when it comes last. A formula that can't be certified, can't be exported, or can't support its own label claims isn't finished. It's a liability with a nice texture.  The good news is that none of this requires special expertise to start. It requires asking your suppliers for documents they should already have and asking your clients where the product needs to end up before development begins. Brands that do this are better positioned to set realistic launch dates and avoid preventable delays. Those that don’t may find themselves revisiting and reformulating products that otherwise seemed ready to move forward.  Prepare First, Then Formulate The best formulas aren’t just well designed. They’re well prepared. Formulation is the fun part, and it's tempting to jump straight in. Time spent gathering documentation up front can prevent weeks of rework later. Define the destination, collect the paperwork, verify every ingredient against it, and then formulate. Your future self, your clients, and your launch timeline will thank you.  If you're planning a product and aren't sure what documentation you'll need, that's exactly the kind of conversation we like to have early. Reach out to NourishUs Naturals before you formulate, not after. 

Vegan diet and lifestyle identification runs meaningfully higher among people with tattoos than in the general population. That's not a niche data point, it's a market signal. A tattoo aftercare line without a vegan-suitable option is handing that share of the market to a competitor who already has one.  Here's the shift from where this conversation used to stop: a vegan claim used to mean one balm on a shelf, positioned as the "alternative" product next to the "regular" line. That's no longer the ceiling. With the right wholesale bases, you can build a complete vegan tattoo aftercare system, cleanser, protective balm, daily moisturizer, and long-term moisturizer, entirely from plant-derived formulations. This post walks through how.  Why vegan positioning matters in tattoo aftercare  Tattoos and veganism are both identity purchases. Someone who chooses plant-based food and cruelty-free personal care products has usually made that choice deliberately, and they tend to look for consistency across every category they buy into, including what goes on their skin while it's going through its natural process after getting new ink.  That consistency shows up in purchase behavior. A customer who checks the vegan status of their skincare is checking the vegan status of their aftercare, too. If a studio or brand can't answer that question at the point of sale, the customer often just doesn't buy, or buys once and doesn't come back.  It also compounds into word-of-mouth. Vegan-identified consumers talk to each other about brands that get it right, in tattoo forums, on social media, and in studio recommendations. A credible vegan line earns referral traffic that a generic line doesn't.  Retention follows the same pattern. Aftercare is a repeat-purchase category by nature: a new tattoo means a new cycle of cleanser, protective balm, and moisturizer. A customer who trusts a brand's vegan sourcing during their skin's natural process after the first piece is a customer who comes back for the next one, and who brings their artist's recommendation with them.  What Makes a Tattoo Aftercare Base Vegan?  A vegan-suitable base contains no animal-derived ingredients, nothing sourced from an animal, even as a minor or secondary ingredient. The formulation has to be checked at the ingredient level, not assumed from the product category.  The usual suspects to watch for:  beeswax (the most common one to miss, since it shows up in a lot of balms and salves)  lanolin  honey  collagen  carmine  keratin  silk  Any one of these disqualifies a base from a vegan claim, regardless of how "natural" the rest of the formula looks.  This is also why not every base in a given product line is automatically vegan-suitable. Some formulations in our catalog use beeswax or honey specifically for their performance or sensory properties, which makes them a poor fit for a vegan-positioned line, those are excluded from this post entirely. Knowing the complete formulation of a base before you build a claim on top of it is the whole job.  This is a bigger deal for a full line than it was for a single product. When the earlier version of this conversation covered one vegan balm, checking the formulation was a one-time exercise. Building a complete system across four categories means running that same check eleven separate times, once per base, and again for any customization added later. The good news: once you've confirmed a base is vegan-suitable, you have a foundation you can build multiple finished products on with confidence.  Vegan-Suitable Tattoo Aftercare Products from NourishUs Naturals  Below are the eleven bases in our catalog that are vegan-suitable, organized by where they sit in the aftercare routine.  Cleansers  A cleanser is the piece most vegan lines skip, since a lot of aftercare conversations start and end at the balm. Adding a cleanser as an intentional first step gives a brand a real reason to sell a full system instead of a single product, and it's the entry point where a customer's routine with the brand actually begins.  Probiotic Wash  is a plant-derived, probiotic-infused cleansing base. It's a good fit for brands layering a microbiome-conscious or general "skin health" story into their vegan positioning. As step one of a full system, it sets up the rest of the routine.  Aloe & Glycerin Shampoo & Body Wash  is a dual-use, plant-derived formula that works as both shampoo and body wash. For studios handing out a single multipurpose product, this is a practical, simple option with broad appeal.  Protective bases for the first week  This category carries the most weight in a tattoo aftercare line, and it's also where the vegan-versus-not distinction shows up most often, since balms and salves are exactly where beeswax tends to appear. Three plant-derived formulas give a brand real range here, from a true balm to a spray to a simple gel.  Vegan Sensitive Skin Balm  is the anchor of a vegan line. It's formulated with Candelilla Wax instead of beeswax, which gives it the same protective, occlusive balm texture without any animal-derived material. This is the substitution that matters most in the whole lineup: Candelilla Wax is a plant-derived wax, harvested from the candelilla shrub, that behaves similarly to beeswax in a finished formula, similar melting point, similar film-forming feel on skin. For brands that want a true balm, not a lotion marketed as one: this is the base that delivers that texture while staying fully vegan.  Calming Calendula Spray  is a plant-derived, no-touch spray format built around calendula, a botanical well recognized in skin-conditioning formulations. The spray format gives brands flexibility in how they position it, hands-free application is a real point of difference during the first week of the aftercare routine.  Aloe Gel  is a lightweight, plant-derived gel with a simple, minimal ingredient list. It works well for first-week use and gives brands an easy, minimalist ingredient story to tell.  Daily moisturizers  Once the skin has moved past the first week, the routine shifts toward lighter, faster-absorbing formulas meant for daily use over the following weeks. These three bases give a brand options across texture and price point, from a cream-to-gel to a lotion to a serum.  CoQ10 Hydrating Cream-to-Gel  has a lightweight cream-to-gel texture built around CoQ10, a widely recognized cosmetic ingredient. It's a strong ingredient story for a daily vegan moisturizer that needs to feel light rather than heavy.  Hemp Lotion  uses hemp seed oil, which carries built-in recognition within the tattoo community. It's vegan, lightweight, and the hemp positioning largely sells itself without much additional explanation needed.  Rosehip & Hibiscus Facial Serum  is the fastest-absorbing option in the lineup, with a premium, face-forward positioning. Rosehip and hibiscus are both botanicals with strong existing consumer recognition, which gives this base an easy story for a serum-tier SKU.  Long-term moisturizers  Tattoo aftercare doesn't stop once the skin has moved past its initial process. Many customers keep moisturizing well past the first month, and this category is where a brand builds an everyday, repeat-purchase relationship with a customer well beyond the initial sale.  Moisturizing Body Cream  is a reliable, full-body daily-use cream with a rich conditioning feel. It's the easy "everyday" product for customers settling into a long-term routine once their tattoo has moved past the first-week stage.  Herbal Aloe & Shea Cream  pairs aloe with shea butter for a distinctively conditioning profile, rich, but not heavy. The botanical callouts here do a lot of work for a vegan-positioned brand looking for label appeal.  Calendula Butter Cream  is the richest option in the long-term group, with a true body butter texture. Calendula gives it immediate credibility in the tattoo aftercare category, and it's the strongest choice for brands aiming at a premium or studio-grade long-term SKU.  How to Build a Complete Vegan Tattoo Aftercare Line  With eleven vegan-suitable bases spanning all four categories, a brand can now build a system of nearly any size or price point. A few starting configurations:  Minimum viable vegan line (2 SKUs): Aloe Gel + Vegan Sensitive Skin Balm. Covers first-week protection with a lightweight gel and a proper balm, in the smallest footprint possible.  3-SKU system: Calming Calendula Spray + Hemp Lotion + Calendula Butter Cream. A no-touch first-week spray, a recognizable daily moisturizer, and a rich long-term cream: a tight, well-rounded set.  Full 4-step vegan system: Probiotic Wash + Vegan Sensitive Skin Balm + CoQ10 Cream-to-Gel + Herbal Aloe & Shea Cream. One product per stage of the routine, a complete story from first cleanse to long-term care.  Premium vegan studio line: Aloe & Glycerin Body Wash + Calming Calendula Spray + Rosehip & Hibiscus Facial Serum + Calendula Butter Cream. Built around higher-end formulas and botanical ingredient stories, positioned for studios or brands targeting a higher price point.  The business case for going beyond a single vegan SKU is straightforward. A complete system keeps the customer inside one label for their entire aftercare and long-term care routine, rather than sending them elsewhere after the first week. That builds loyalty, and it creates a natural upsell path: a customer who buys one product to try the brand is a reasonable target for the full set once they trust the line.  A full system also gives a brand more shelf presence and more price points to sell against, in a single studio display or online storefront. Instead of one vegan SKU competing on its own, four related SKUs reinforce each other and make the whole line look more considered.  Starting small is a reasonable strategy, too. A brand new to wholesale sourcing might launch with the 2-SKU minimum viable line, confirm demand, and then layer in a cleanser and a long-term moisturizer once the first two products are selling. The eleven-base lineup is built so that expansion doesn't require switching suppliers or re-verifying an entirely new set of vendor relationships: the same vegan-suitable catalog supports every stage of that growth.  Vegan Labeling and Ingredient Claims  The base is only part of the finished product. Once fragrance, preservative systems, or colorants are added during customization, the complete INCI needs to be reviewed again before any vegan or ingredient claim goes on a label. A base that starts vegan-suitable can lose that status if an added component isn't.  NourishUs Naturals supplies the base formulation. The brand owner is responsible for all finished-product claims, including vegan status, and should verify the complete ingredient list against their own labeling standards before it goes to market. For ingredient-related claims, use specific, verifiable attribute language, "No Added Parabens," "No Added Phthalates," "formulated without animal-derived ingredients", rather than broader marketing language that isn't tied to a specific, checkable ingredient list.  This matters more, not less, once a line grows to four or five SKUs. Each product may go through its own customization: a different fragrance blend, a different preservative system, and a vegan claim has to be verified independently for every one of them. A base being vegan-suitable doesn't automatically make the finished, customized product vegan; that final check sits with the brand owner.  Browse our vegan-suitable wholesale bases and start building your plant-derived aftercare line.  Shop Vegan Bases