LULUBLE Product Development Brief — Quantum Architecture Framework
Threshold

Begin your brief.

Two names anchor every decision that follows. The lab will read this brief many times. Make it the one you would want to read.

Adsum.
Architecture

Your product development brief.

Seven modules. Thirty-six decisions. Each one prevents drift between you and the lab. Take them in the order that serves you.

— LC
01
Product identity
02
Aesthetics & sensorial architecture
03
Formula DNA
04
The buyer decoded
05
Money & time architecture
06
Packaging sovereignty
07
Compliance & testing
Brief completeness — 0 of 36 fields
Adsum.
01 — Identity

Product identity.

Most failed launches I have witnessed in 25 years of formulation collapsed in this exact module. Not in chemistry. Not in marketing. Here. Take your time.

— LC · ADSUM
Working name is fine — it can change. What matters is having one to anchor every downstream decision.
Drives regulatory pathway, packaging defaults, and which retailer standards you'll be measured against.
Be specific. 'Moisturizer' is not a brief. 'Lightweight daytime barrier-repair moisturizer for post-procedure sensitivity' is.
The physical form. Determines manufacturing process, stability testing requirements, and packaging compatibility.
Where on the body the product is used. Affects safety substantiation depth and MoCRA testing requirements.
Adsum.
02 — Sensorial

Aesthetics and sensorial.

The first three seconds of consumer experience are sensorial, not chemical. Color, scent, texture, finish — these are not 'cosmetic' decisions. They are revenue decisions.

— LC
Describe the desired color of the product itself (not the packaging). Include any cultural or seasonal references.
Describe the desired olfactive experience. Specify if fragrance-free, naturally-scented, or fully fragranced.
Describe how the product should feel during application AND after absorption. Specify both 'wet feel' and 'dry feel'.
How thick or thin should the product be at room temperature.
What does the skin look like 30-60 seconds after application?
Adsum.
03 — Formula

Formula DNA.

Every claim on a label requires substantiation. Every benchmark product is a teacher. Every excluded ingredient is a sovereignty statement. Be specific here or pay later in regulatory rework.

— LC
Name commercial products that exemplify what you want (and don't want). Specify what dimension of each benchmark you're referencing.
List actives, hero ingredients, and any ingredients with marketing weight. Specify concentrations where you have a target.
List any ingredient classes or specific ingredients that must not appear. Specify reason if it's market positioning vs. allergy vs. ethics.
List the claims you want on the front label, secondary label, and marketing. Distinguish 'cosmetic claims' from 'drug claims'.
Adsum.
04 — Buyer

The buyer.

The most successful launches I've witnessed had brutally specific buyer definitions. The lab cannot formulate for everyone. Neither can your marketing.

— LC
Describe the buyer as a specific human with specific problems. Include life stage, skin condition, income, channel preference, and emotional drivers.
Many brands give their primary persona a name. If you have one, share it.
Primary buyer age range. Drives packaging legibility, claim language, and channel mix.
Where in the pricing/distribution hierarchy this product sits.
Where will this product be sold? Each channel has different packaging, claim, and certification requirements.
Adsum.
05 — Economics

Money and time.

Budget drives chemistry. Timeline drives stability planning. If you skip this module, the lab guesses — and they will guess in their favor, not yours.

— LC · ADSUM
Total budget available for formula development, testing, packaging design, and initial production run.
Cost of goods sold per finished unit (formula + packaging + filling). Most brands target 15-25% of SRP.
What price will the consumer pay? Should be 4-6× your COGS for sustainable margins through retail.
Net fill weight or volume of the finished product.
First production run size. Drives manufacturer selection, raw material purchasing, and packaging order quantities.
When does this product need to be available for sale?
What external events or commitments are driving this timeline? Investor demos, retailer commitments, content calendar, seasonality.
Adsum.
06 — Sovereignty

Packaging.

I have seen brands spend $80K on formula development and $4K on packaging — then watch the formula oxidize because the bottle wasn't airless. Don't be that founder.

— LC
Primary container type. Determines barrier properties, dispensing mechanism, and stability requirements.
Describe materials, finish, color, secondary packaging, decoration techniques, sustainability claims.
Who is this product safe and effective for? Drives ingredient selection and warning/contraindication labeling.
How does the consumer actually use this? Affects packaging design, claim language, and consumer education.
Adsum.
07 — Threshold

Compliance and testing.

MoCRA is not optional anymore. Retailer standards are not optional anymore. The brief that names these requirements upfront saves 6-12 weeks of late-stage rework.

— LC · ADSUM
Where will this product be legally sold? Each market has different ingredient restrictions, labeling rules, and registration requirements.
Which retailer or third-party certification standards must this product meet?
Cosmetic vs. OTC drug. Different testing, different labeling, different timelines.
Which safety studies are required for your launch?
Which efficacy studies will substantiate your label claims?
Which stability protocols are needed before launch?
Adsum.
Adsum

Brief complete.

Hand it to the lab.

What you have made is not a form. It is a contract between your intention and the chemistry that will carry it. Print it. Read it twice. Then hand it across.

Adsum.