How long does custom formulation take from brief to finished product?

Expect 4 to 9 months end-to-end for a custom formula: 6 to 16 weeks for initial prototyping, plus 8 to 16 weeks for stability and safety testing, then standard production lead time. Private label compresses this to 4 to 10 weeks total. Using the AJ Cosmo Labs iOS app to post a brief and receive manufacturer responses can shave weeks off the sourcing phase alone.