A realistic timeline from initial brief to a stability-confirmed formula is 10–18 weeks. Bench prototyping typically takes 4–6 weeks, followed by a minimum 8–12 weeks of accelerated stability testing at 40 °C and 75% relative humidity. Preservative efficacy testing runs concurrently and adds 4–6 weeks. Be cautious of formulators promising production-ready curl-care formulas in under six weeks — that usually means stability data is skipped.
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