Why "Send Me Your Catalog and Prices" Doesn't Work
Many beauty founders open their Korean manufacturing search with the same message:
"I want to create a Korean skincare brand. Can you send me your catalog and price?"
It sounds reasonable. But to a Korean OEM/ODM manufacturer, it's unanswerable. A 30ml serum can be a simple hydrating formula or an encapsulated-retinal premium product — the price differs several times over. Without your product type, formula direction, MOQ, packaging, and target market, a factory can't quote, so the inquiry often goes unanswered.
Korean manufacturers run high-volume lines and receive a constant stream of international inquiries. The buyers who get serious responses are the ones who arrive with a manufacturer-ready RFQ — a structured request the factory can actually evaluate.
This guide covers exactly what that RFQ needs: the information to prepare, realistic MOQ benchmarks by product type, what samples cost, the packaging trap most first-time buyers miss, and a copy-paste example you can adapt. If you want the general briefing framework that applies beyond skincare, see our buyer's checklist for writing an OEM brief.
What an RFQ Means in Cosmetics Manufacturing
RFQ stands for Request for Quotation — a structured project request that lets a manufacturer answer five questions quickly:
- Can we make this product?
- Do we already have a suitable ODM formula?
- What MOQ and sample fee apply?
- How long will sampling and production take?
- Can we support the target market's documentation?
A weak RFQ creates back-and-forth emails and stalls. A strong RFQ gets reviewed, priced, and sampled. The difference is preparation, not budget.
The Five Things to Prepare Before Contacting Any Factory
1. Company and brand context
You don't need to share confidential documents on first contact, but anonymous requests get deprioritized. Include your company and brand name, website or social channels, country, buyer type (brand, distributor, retailer), business stage, and sales channels. A distributor with retail placement or a founder with a previous brand launch reads as a serious project; a blank inquiry doesn't.
2. One to three priority products — not ten
"I want serum, cream, cleanser, toner, sunscreen, sheet mask, shampoo, and supplements" is too wide for a first review, and different products may belong at different specialized factories anyway.
Start with your first one to three SKUs — for example, a 30ml hydrating serum, a 50ml barrier cream, and a 150ml gentle cleanser. Once the first production run works, expanding the range is straightforward.
3. Your formula route
This is the decision that shapes cost, speed, and MOQ more than any other:
- Private label — an existing finished formula with your branding. Fastest and cheapest, limited customization.
- ODM — the manufacturer adapts one of its existing formula platforms to your brand. The best balance of speed, stability, and customization for most new brands.
- OEM — you provide the formula or technical direction; the factory produces to it.
- Full custom R&D — new development from scratch. More time, higher development cost, higher MOQ.
For most new brands, existing ODM or semi-custom development is the practical starting point. If the terminology is new to you, our OEM vs ODM vs private label guide breaks down the four models side by side.
4. Target market — pick one first
Your launch country drives formula constraints, labeling, claims, testing, and documents. "Global ready" is not a real spec — a formula cleared for the US may need adjustment for the EU, and Gulf markets may require Halal or local registration.
Sequence it instead: first launch US, phase two EU/UK, future GCC. That single line makes your RFQ dramatically easier to quote. For market specifics, see our guides to FDA & MoCRA requirements for Korean cosmetics and EU CPNP registration.
5. A realistic MOQ and budget
If your target quantity is below 1,000 units, Korean OEM/ODM is usually the wrong route — wholesale finished goods or local private-label suppliers fit better. The benchmarks below show what "realistic" means by product type.
Korean Skincare MOQ Benchmarks by Product Type
Actual MOQs vary by factory, formula, and packaging, but these are the starting ranges we consistently see across Korean OEM/ODM projects:
| Product type | Typical starting MOQ |
|---|---|
| General skincare (serum, toner, cream, cleanser) | 3,000–5,000 units per SKU |
| Premium actives (PDRN, exosomes, retinal, peptides, encapsulation) | 5,000+ units per SKU |
| Sunscreen / SPF products | 3,000–5,000+ units per SKU |
| Sheet masks | 25,000–50,000+ masks |
| BB/CC cream, cushion, color cosmetics | ~3,000 units per shade |
| Haircare and scalp care | 3,000–5,000 units per SKU |
| Supplement jelly sticks / sachets | 150,000–180,000 sticks |
Three traps inside this table:
- Color cosmetics MOQ is per shade. Four shades at 3,000 units each means a 12,000-unit commitment. Plan your shade range before you ask for pricing.
- Sheet masks are a volume game — pouch printing, mask material, and line setup push minimums far above regular skincare.
- Supplement sticks (collagen jelly, powder sachets) are a different manufacturing world entirely: 150,000+ sticks is normal, which is roughly 5,000–6,000 retail boxes of 30.
For a deeper look at why these floors exist and how to negotiate around them, read Korean OEM MOQ explained.
Why You Can't Get a Real Price on Day One
The price of "a cream" depends on formula complexity, active percentages, container type and size, decoration method, outer carton, testing, documentation, MOQ, and target country. A basic moisturizer in a stock jar and a ceramide-PDRN barrier cream in airless packaging with EU dossier support are different products with different prices — even at the same volume.
Manufacturers can only quote against a defined product. Give them product type, volume, formula route, key ingredients, packaging format, MOQ, and target market, and you'll get a usable number. Ask "how much is a serum?" and you'll get silence or a meaninglessly wide range. Our breakdown of what drives Korean OEM per-unit pricing shows exactly which levers move the quote.
Sample and Development Fees: What's Normal
Paid samples are standard in Korean manufacturing — free custom samples are not a realistic expectation. Rough expectations:
- Existing ODM formulas: relatively low sample fees.
- Semi-custom and custom formulas: typically a few hundred dollars up to USD 1,000+ per SKU, more for premium actives, special textures, or multiple revision rounds.
Before paying, confirm in writing: how many revision rounds are included, whether international shipping and packaging samples are covered, whether the fee is deducted from your production order, and how long each round takes. Initial samples usually arrive in 2–4 weeks; production runs 8–12 weeks after final approvals. Map the full schedule with our Korean OEM lead time guide.
Packaging: The Hidden MOQ Problem
This is the most underestimated line in skincare manufacturing: your formula may be available at 3,000 units while your packaging requires 10,000.
Every component — bottle, pump, dropper, cap, label, silk printing, hot stamping, coating, carton, insert — has its own supplier and its own minimum. Custom molds multiply both MOQ and lead time.
The practical playbook for a first launch:
- Use the manufacturer's standard (stock) packaging
- Customize through labels and printing, not molds
- Keep the retail carton simple
- Save custom packaging for your second or third production run, when volumes justify it
If you already have packaging sourced elsewhere (commonly China), many Korean factories will accept it — but they must verify compatibility, dimensions, material, filling suitability, and delivery schedule first. Flag this in your RFQ.
Documents: What Factories Provide vs What's on You
Korean manufacturers routinely supply manufacturing-side documents: INCI lists, COA, SDS/MSDS, GMP and ISO 22716 documentation, product specifications, stability and compatibility data, microbiological results, and export paperwork.
What they usually don't handle is final market registration:
- US: MoCRA facility registration, product listing, safety substantiation — the brand's responsibility
- EU/UK: CPSR, PIF, CPNP/SCPN notification, and a Responsible Person — typically via your regulatory partner
Budget for a regulatory consultant if you're launching seriously. The factory makes the product compliant-ready; making it registered is on the brand side. (Korean domestic regulation is its own topic — see MFDS registration explained.)
Weak RFQ vs Strong RFQ: The Difference in Practice
Weak:
"Hello, I want to start a Korean skincare brand. Please send your catalog and prices. I want serum, cream, cleanser, sunscreen, and sheet masks. MOQ should be 500 units. I need EU and US approval. Please reply urgently."
No product definition, no formula route, an impossible MOQ, five categories at once, two regulatory regimes, and urgency without substance. This gets ignored.
Strong:
"Hello, we are preparing a US skincare launch, starting with a 30ml hydrating barrier serum. We prefer an existing Korean ODM formula featuring panthenol, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and Centella — lightweight, fast-absorbing, non-sticky, fragrance-free. Target MOQ is 5,000 units in a standard 30ml airless pump with a printed retail carton. We are ready to proceed with paid samples. Please confirm formula availability, MOQ, sample fee and lead time, rough unit pricing at 3,000 and 5,000 units, packaging options, and US documentation support."
One SKU, defined formula direction, realistic MOQ, stock packaging, a single target market, and explicit sample readiness. This gets a real answer.
A Copy-Paste RFQ Template
Adapt this structure for your own project:
- Project summary: market, brand stage, launch timeline
- Product: type and volume (e.g., 30ml facial serum)
- Formula route: existing ODM / semi-custom / OEM / custom
- Key benefits: e.g., barrier support, calming, hydration, lightweight finish
- Preferred ingredients: e.g., panthenol, niacinamide, Centella, ceramide
- Exclusions: e.g., fragrance-free, no drying alcohol, no harsh acids
- Packaging: format and whether stock packaging is acceptable
- Target market: first launch country (then later phases)
- MOQ: your realistic range per SKU
- Documents needed: INCI, COA, SDS, GMP/ISO 22716, stability data, export docs
- Questions: formula availability, MOQ, sample fee and rounds, sample and production lead times, rough pricing at two volumes, packaging options
The Seven Mistakes That Kill RFQs
- Asking for 500 units — below most Korean custom-production floors
- Asking for price without a product brief — unquotable
- Launching ten SKUs at once — start with two or three strong products
- Requesting full custom R&D on a startup budget — start ODM, customize gradually
- Ignoring packaging MOQ — the formula isn't the only minimum
- No defined target market — US and EU requirements diverge
- Expecting the factory to handle registration — final compliance belongs to the brand
Final Checklist Before You Hit Send
Company details · target market · one to three priority SKUs · product volumes · formula route · key ingredients and exclusions · texture direction · reference products · MOQ per SKU · budget range · packaging direction · required documents · sample readiness · launch timeline · regulatory partner status.
The more specific the RFQ, the better the quotes — and the faster you move from idea to production.
Ready to Submit a Manufacturer-Ready RFQ?
OEMKorea matches international buyers with verified Korean OEM/ODM manufacturers across skincare, sunscreen, sheet masks, color cosmetics, haircare, and supplements. Submit your RFQ with your product type, MOQ, formula direction, packaging, and target market — and get matched with factories that fit your project.