Maintaining Brand Identity in Formulation
How Chemists Preserve Sensory, Efficacy, and Story—Even at Scale
Formulation isn’t just science—it’s storytelling through product experience. The slip of a serum, the scent on first pump, the cooling tingle or creamy rinse—these are what customers remember. And they’re what differentiate your brand in a saturated market.
As a formulator with over 20 years in product development, I’ve worked on hundreds of launches—and seen just as many rebrands, CM transitions, and SKU pivots. What separates the brands that scale from the ones that stall? A formula system that protects brand identity.
Whether you’re moving into new categories, switching suppliers, or handing off to a contract manufacturer, your formulas need more than INCI decks and SOPs—they need a sensory fingerprint. Here's how we build and maintain it.
Formulate with Identity in Mind from Day One
Most founders define brand identity through visuals and voice. But as chemists, we translate that identity into:
Texture and transformation – Is your balm always cushiony? Does your cleanser break into milk?
Scent and emotional cue – Is your lavender desert-sweet or spa-fresh? Is there a cooling note or a dry-down?
Visual consistency – Does the cream always look glossy white? Do you allow for pigment variation in botanical SKUs?
Functional promise – Is there always a glide, a quick absorb, a matte finish?
These are all core markers of brand identity—and should be treated as non-negotiable inputs in your formulation brief.
Pro Tip: When working with designers or marketers, build a "sensory style guide" just like you would for color palettes or typography. Anchor it in how your product should look, feel, and behave—regardless of the format.
Build a Sensory Framework You Can Replicate
Think of sensory as a matrix: it’s not one element—it’s how multiple elements interact.
Sensory Attribute
Chemist’s Control Points
Texture / Slip
Ester selection, viscosity modifiers, emollients
Absorption Rate
Oil blend, molecular weight, silicone alternatives
Cooling / Warming
Menthols, natural alkanes, emulsifier interaction
Residue or Finish
Occlusive agents, waxes, or drying alcohols
Color + Appearance
Natural colorants, titanium dioxide, clays, packaging glare
When scaling or line-extending, revisit this framework for every new SKU to ensure you’re staying within the brand’s sensory bandwidth—even if the category changes.
Protect Brand Markers During Manufacturing Transitions
One of the biggest risks in CM transfers is losing the soul of the formula in translation. What worked in a 2kg pilot batch might not feel the same at 200kg—especially when different mixers, heating jackets, and fill lines are introduced.
Here’s how we protect brand identity during scale-up:
Lock texture specs early: Document target viscosity, spread rate, and phase temperatures—not just INCI
Standardize fragrance ratios and sources: EO variability is real. Always specify supplier and type
Create visual batch benchmarks: Photos and videos of correct emulsions, phase change points, and finished product under lighting
Conduct pre-fill sensory checks: Always test a retained sample before filling—this is your last checkpoint
A formula is not “approved” until it behaves identically in the user’s hand across production runs. Consistency = trust.
When Brand Identity Evolves, Formulas Can Too—But With Intention
Sometimes your brand grows—and the formula needs to reflect that. Maybe you’re going fragrance-free. Maybe you're launching in a different climate. Maybe you’re adjusting to retailer clean lists or moving into ingestibles or OTC.
The key? Evolve the formula without losing the experience.
Here’s how:
Replace one sensory element at a time and test perception with panels
Use functional alternatives that mimic the original behavior (e.g., use coconut alkanes in place of dimethicone for silky glide)
Pre-launch stability and wear testing across regions and packaging formats
Preserve visual cues—even if ingredient bases shift (e.g., using food-safe opacifiers in place of titanium dioxide for a white cream aesthetic)
What We Track in the Lab to Safeguard Identity
Chemists can’t protect what they don’t track. Here’s what we monitor across every development and scale stage:
Viscosity range (measured with defined spindle/speed)
Absorbency timeline (how long before tack-free)
Scent character (top, mid, and dry down notes—recorded at 1 hr, 24 hr, and 7 days)
Color tolerance (established with seasonal botanical variation if applicable)
Rinse-off or residual feel (especially for cleansers, balms, and sunscreens)
These metrics become part of our formula spec sheet—not just for regulatory but for identity preservation.
Final Thoughts: Sensory Is Strategy
Texture. Scent. Color. These aren’t extras—they are the formula’s fingerprint. They tell the customer what to expect, and when they stay consistent, they build trust that fuels repurchase, loyalty, and growth.
Whether you’re expanding into new formats or bringing on your first CM, make sure your formulation process includes:
Sensory benchmarks
Clear specs tied to identity markers
Systems that scale your brand—not just your batch size
After 20 years of doing this at every level, here’s what I’ve seen:
Formulas can change. But brand identity shouldn’t get lost in the process.
Victoria Vohland
Founder & Head of Product Development