The raw materials of categories such as ampoule serums, liquid serums and freeze-dried powders currently sold on the platform have strict requirements for storage environment and shelf life control due to their special dosage forms and some containing active ingredients. Purchasers need to formulate standardized management procedures based on the characteristics of the raw materials to ensure the stability of raw material quality and reduce production risks.
Raw materials of different formulations have different requirements for storage conditions, so it is necessary to first clarify the basic characteristics of each category.
Ampoule essence raw materials: mostly in liquid dosage forms with single-dose or multi-dose sealed packaging, the sealing performance of the packaging directly affects the stability of the internal ingredients.
Liquid essence raw materials: exist in liquid form, with their ingredient activity susceptible to light exposure and temperature fluctuations.
Freeze-dried powder raw materials: Powdery formulations prepared via vacuum freeze-drying process, prone to caking after absorbing moisture, and active ingredients are susceptible to oxidative inactivation upon exposure to air.
Customized facial serum raw materials: As the formula is not finalized, they should be stored separately to avoid mixing with other raw materials, and their usage will be arranged only after the production demand is clarified.
The storage environment is the core factor affecting the shelf life of raw materials, and control measures need to be implemented from multiple dimensions:
All on-sale raw materials shall be stored in a cool, dry environment, avoiding extreme temperature fluctuations and direct sunlight. Dedicated light-shielded storage areas shall be established, or raw materials shall be stored in light-shielding storage containers to reduce damage to active ingredients caused by light exposure. Meanwhile, the humidity of the storage area must be maintained stable, so as to avoid moisture absorption of raw materials due to excessive humidity and brittleness of powder raw materials due to overly low humidity.
Store raw materials in separate zones according to their dosage forms and properties to avoid cross-contamination
Ampoule essence raw materials shall be stored upright on sealed shelves to avoid leakage from the bottle mouths.
Lyophilized powder raw materials shall be stored in storage bins with sealed lids, and kept at a safe distance from water-containing raw materials.
Customized raw materials shall be individually labeled with their respective information and stored separately to avoid confusion with raw materials from other batches.
When raw materials are received into the warehouse, inspect their packaging status one by one: For ampoules with cracks or air leakage, isolate them separately and contact the supplier for confirmation; For freeze-dried powder with damaged packaging or signs of moisture, return it immediately; For liquid essence bottles with liquid leakage, address the issue promptly to avoid contaminating other stored goods.
Scientific shelf life management must be implemented in combination with supplier guidelines and actual storage conditions, and the specific procedures include:
Establish a raw material receiving ledger: sort and store raw materials by their arrival times, give priority to using batches with earlier production dates, and avoid long-term stockpiling that causes loss of active ingredients.
Regular inspection mechanism: Conduct weekly inspections of the environmental conditions in the warehousing area and the packaging of raw materials, and record environmental changes. For raw materials approaching the recommended service life marked by their suppliers, prioritize sample testing or small-batch production.
Abnormal Situation Handling: If water leakage, condensation or other abnormal situations occur in the storage area, immediately transfer the affected raw materials and assess their condition. If any abnormalities of the raw materials such as caking, discoloration and peculiar odor are found, stop using them and contact the supplier to confirm the follow-up treatment plan.
Given the highly active raw material categories sold on the platform, additional control measures need to be implemented:
For highly active freeze-dried powder raw materials, additional vacuum-sealed packaging storage is required to reduce the contact time with air and extend the retention period of active ingredients.
For disposable ampoule essence sets: They should be stored in a dry environment to avoid condensation forming on the surface of the ampoules, which may cause the packaging to become damp or the labels to fall off.
For bulk supplied essence raw materials: they shall be stored classified by purchase batches, and the corresponding supplier quality inspection certificates and storage guidance documents shall be retained for each batch to facilitate subsequent traceability.
Warehousing and shelf life management needs to intervene in advance from the procurement stage to reduce the difficulty of subsequent management and control.
Confirm storage requirements during the inquiry stage: Request guidelines for the optimal storage conditions of the corresponding batch of raw materials from suppliers, and plan in advance whether our own storage space is suitable.
Strictly oversee incoming material acceptance: Verify whether the raw material packaging complies with the storage requirements marked by the supplier. For raw materials under special transportation conditions, check the environmental records during transportation to confirm no abnormal fluctuations have occurred.
Plan storage for custom raw materials in advance: For custom facial serum raw materials, reserve exclusive storage areas in advance, and complete identification and segregated storage immediately upon their arrival.
Scientific storage and shelf life management are the key links to ensuring the quality of cosmetic raw materials. They can not only improve the utilization efficiency of raw materials, but also reduce procurement costs and production risks. The platform will continuously update information related to storage and quality control for raw materials across all categories, to help overseas purchasers conduct procurement and production efficiently.