Scale-up without losing quality - how to move a formula from the lab to the production line
Scale-up in cosmetics is the process of moving a formula from a small lab mixer - usually with a capacity of 0.5–5 kg - to industrial equipment operating in batches on the order of 100–1000 kg. While it may seem like simply scaling ingredient proportions, in practice a change of scale brings a change in process physics. Something that works perfectly at 1 kg won't necessarily give an identical result at 500 kg unless several key variables are taken into account.
The problem isn't the formula itself - the ingredients and their proportions stay the same. The challenge is the process environment: a different tank shape and size, different mixer parameters, different filling and emptying times, different temperature gradients within the product mass. Each of these factors can change the final physicochemical properties of the cosmetic if it isn't accounted for when designing the scale-up process.
The three main scale-up challenges
1. Emulsification - emulsion stability vs. shear force
Emulsions - mixtures of a water phase and an oil phase stabilized by emulsifiers - are one of the most popular cosmetic forms. Their stability depends largely on how finely one phase is dispersed within the other, which in turn results from the shear force generated by the homogenizer. The problem is that lab and industrial homogenizers work on different geometric principles: at the same rotational speed, a stronger or weaker shear effect can produce different droplet sizes, and consequently a different viscosity, texture and emulsion stability. That's why homogenization parameters have to be recalculated, not copied directly.
2. Phase temperature - managing heat at large volume
In emulsification processes, it's critical to combine both phases (water and oil) at a precisely defined temperature - usually above 70–80°C, which ensures waxes and emulsifiers are properly liquefied. At lab scale, the vessel heats up and cools down quickly. In a 500 kg tank, the thermal gradient is much larger: the center of the mass can be at a different temperature than the tank walls, which disrupts the moment the phases combine and leads to unstable emulsions or an uneven texture. Precise temperature control and the right mixing time after combining the phases become critical.
3. Final viscosity - re-optimization at the new scale
The same formula can produce a different viscosity depending on the production scale. This happens because the viscosity of an emulsion or gel is sensitive to the mechanical history of the mass - mixing time, order of ingredient addition, mixer rotation speed after emulsification is complete. Cosmetics thickened with polymers (e.g. carbomers, guar gum or hydroxyethyl cellulose) are especially sensitive: mixing that is too intense or too brief can completely change their rheological structure. At large scale, this requires re-optimization, not just a simple parameter translation.
How MG Evolution runs scale-up
Our scale-up process consists of three stages designed to minimize the risk of quality deviations between lab batches and industrial production.
Stage 1 - pilot validation (10–30 kg). The first production run isn't immediately full-scale. We produce a pilot batch on a 10–30 kg mixer, where we test the adaptation of process parameters. This is the stage where we identify potential discrepancies between the lab and production before they reach the full batch.
Stage 2 - comparative physicochemical testing. We put the pilot batch through a full panel of physicochemical tests and compare the results against the certified lab batch (the reference standard). We check: pH, viscosity (at various shear rates), droplet size, thermal stability, sensory properties. Deviations from the reference specification result in process parameter adjustments.
Stage 3 - full-scale production with complete documentation. Once the pilot is approved, we launch production at the target scale with every parameter documented in the batch record. The Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for the client includes the batch test results confirming compliance with the specification approved at the R&D stage.
This three-stage process eliminates the main scale-up risks and ensures that the cosmetic in your brand's packaging has exactly the same properties that were approved during lab testing.
Planning to move a formula into industrial production? Our R&D team will help you go through this process without surprises.
Talk to our R&D team