CASE 1. I don’t know what I want.
To start, you need to self-reflect and outline the product that you envision.

To self-reflect means to refine your requests articulately. Only after you refine your requests can you focus on the main ingredients, benefits, and designs without being lost.

To warm up, decide on the purpose of your product!

Who is your target consumer? Why are they buying this? For looks? For the ingredients? For the benefits? How will you distribute it and make the bucks that you deserve? Only then will you be able to decide on what the main elements of your product will be.

For example, you can decide whether your product will market based on the benefits, the design, or the concept ingredients.

Next, write down your requests on paper. At this stage, you can trim down your concept in a meeting with Cosmepolitan. In the upper right corner of our website, you can find the “Request Sample” button. Follow through with our automated questionnaire that one of our members will review and assist further on.

After a good amount of consideration and decision on the main selling points of your product, broad phrases like “snow that is a little warmer” won’t be a problem.

CASE 2. I know what I want, but don’t know how to describe it.

To simplify this complex yet simple question, having a product in the market that is close to your ideal product helps. Here are some tips to utilize a reference product to be more specific during your product development.

• Look deep into products that are in the same category as the one you want. Once you navigate a myriad of similar products in the category, you’ll know what is wrong, what is inconvenient, and what works. Similar to the CASE 1 client, you must understand the purpose of your product. Then you can start evaluating things to eliminate or enhance based on the hero product.
• When looking for an inspirational design reference, also note that it does not have to be from the cosmetic category either. It can be a piece of wallpaper or an old plastic toy. Just take note and communicate the material, color, or mood that you want to reference.
• Finally, make sure you understand what ASPECT of the product you want to reference. You may want to achieve the texture of this product but the fragrance and the viscosity of another one.
  
  

Hero products to reference are only a tool for guidance, but they can effectively deliver your product ideas.

Just remember, that an active attitude and specific requests will be the key to successful product development and manufacturing!