About
About The INCI Lab
From The INCI Lab · Auckland
Bespoke cosmetic chemistry, quietly crafted.
The INCI Lab is a boutique cosmetic formulation studio founded and led by Merve Samur. We work with founders, indie brands, and scaling beauty companies who want a formula that is genuinely their own — developed to perform, documented for compliance, and produced in editions sized to a real launch.
We are based in Auckland and serve brands across New Zealand, Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Middle East.
Meet the Chemist
Merve Samur — Founder & Lead Cosmetic Chemist
With over a decade of hands-on R&D, Merve sits at the intersection of clinical chemistry, commercial formulation, and real-world consumer demand. Her work has been recognised by the Pure Beauty Global Awards, the NZSCC, and the C&T Allē Awards 2025.
Merve currently serves on the committee of the New Zealand Society of Cosmetic Chemists and the regulatory advisory committee of the Independent Beauty Association. She leads the scientific direction at The INCI Lab — shaping formulation strategy, innovation pathways, and regulatory standards from concept through to commercialisation.
A note from
Our founder
When I started The INCI Lab, I had spent ten years watching brilliant founders — herbalists, dermatologists, product people who actually understood their customer — walk into manufacturing meetings and walk out with something that wasn't theirs. A minimum order they couldn't carry.
I built this studio for those founders.
Everything we do here is shaped by one belief: an indie brand deserves real chemistry, on terms it can actually afford. That is why we run low minimums other studios won't touch. It is why our Visionary clients walk away owning their formula outright — not licensing it from us.
We are not the right partner for everyone but if you want a chemist who picks up the phone, who tells you when an ingredient is wrong before you spend three months on it, and who treats your launch with the same care she treats her own — that is what I have built this place to be.
I hope we get to make something together.
Merve Samur
Founder & Lead Cosmetic Chemist
President, New Zealand Society of Cosmetic Chemists
Have a project in mind?
Let's talk about what you're building.
A short brief tells us what you need. The team — chemists, regulatory specialists, and our network of designers and manufacturing partners — replies personally. Discovery calls are always free.
Open the full project form →The Four Pillars
What I·N·C·I means to us.
INCI is the International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients — the Latin-and-chemistry list on the back of every product. For us, the four letters also describe how we work.
I — Innovation
Your INCI list should be your competitive advantage. We do not work with off-the-shelf or stock formulas. Through our Pathfinder framework we create award-winning, high-performance textures that make a brand stand out in a crowded market.
N — Nurturing
The journey from a kitchen concept to a shelf-ready product is hard. We act as your in-house R&D team, scaling your vision with professional formulation, stability work, and regulatory documentation.
C — Compliance
Accuracy is the baseline. We specialise in region-specific compliance — NZ, AICIS (AU), FDA (US), EU CPNP, and GCC — so your INCI list is audit-ready from day one.
I — Integrity
Evidence-based science, cruelty-free practice, and full IP ownership for our Visionary clients. When you work with us, you do not just receive a formula — you own it.
Why Choose Us
What our clients tell us we do differently.
Proven expertise. Award-winning work for NZ and international brands. Members of the New Zealand Society of Cosmetic Chemists and Cosmetics NZ.
End-to-end support. From the first idea to launch — formulation, stability, compliance, manufacturing.
Sustainability built in. Eco-conscious raw materials and packaging guidance from day one.
Local and global reach. Auckland-based, serving founders in NZ, AU, US, UK, and the Middle East.
Inside the Lab
Our Auckland studio.
We work from a purpose-built formulation studio in Auckland, with curated access to global raw-material suppliers, clinical-grade equipment, and stability testing infrastructure. Small-batch production runs are coordinated through our trusted New Zealand manufacturing partners.
Your Vision, Our Expertise
Have a project in mind?
Whether you are starting a small skincare business or adding innovative products to an existing range — The INCI Lab is your trusted formulation partner. Discovery calls are free.