Fulfillment for Cosmetics & Beauty
Precise logistics for sensitive products and demanding brands
In cosmetics, logistics cannot be improvised: batch control, expiry dates, delicate handling and a presentation that reinforces the brand in each shipment. Bolian organises operations so that stock, orders and returns work with precision, traceability and brand coherence, even in campaigns and launches.
Logistics for cosmetics and beauty
What changes when cosmetic logistics are under control
Precision in every order
Batch and expiry management reduces errors and ensures that each product shipped complies with industry requirements.
Reliable and traceable stock
Visible and updated inventory at all times to avoid breakages, wastage and reprocessing.
Consistent brand experience
Every shipment maintains the presentation and care that the end customer expects, even in intensive campaigns.
Industry challenges
Logistics challenges for a cosmetics and beauty brand
A cosmetics brand does not just sell a product: it sells a formula with a batch and an expiry date, packaging that has to arrive in perfect condition and a brand experience the customer judges when opening the box. These are the points where a generalist operator usually fails.
Batches and expiry dates that must not be mixed
Every reference coexists with several batches in stock. If the warehouse does not know which batch goes out in each order, new customers receive short-dated products, expired stock becomes waste and units are hard to locate if there is a quality alert.
Delicate products and careful presentation
Glass, droppers, airless pumps, gift boxes and cellophane. Picking and packing have to protect the container without spoiling the presentation, because unboxing is part of the product.
Two channels with different rules
The online store needs fast single-unit shipments; pharmacies, perfumeries and distributors need cartons, delivery notes and agreed lead times. Running both flows with different providers doubles stock and errors.
Launches, campaigns and packs
Black Friday, Christmas, Mother’s Day or a range launch multiply orders within a few days and often come with kits, samples and inserts that have to be assembled before the peak.
How we solve it
How Bolian handles logistics for your cosmetics brand
Bolian combines its own fulfilment software with the operations of Grupo Akoma, which has been in logistics since 1991 and has 73,000 m² of facilities in the Barcelona area (Barberà del Vallès and Martorelles). For cosmetics, this means:
- Automatic FEFO rotation: the batch with the nearest expiry date goes out first, without relying on the picker’s memory.
- Batch traceability in every order and immediate blocking of a batch if there is an alert, with the list of recipients who received it.
- Guided picking validated before the parcel is closed, so similar shades, sizes or formats are never mixed up.
- Kits, sets, promotional packs and inserts assembled in the warehouse for each campaign, with the packaging your brand specifies.
- B2C and B2B from the same stock: single-unit shipments to consumers and carton or pallet orders with delivery notes and labelling for pharmacies, perfumeries and distributors.
- Returns with inspection, recording and a photograph of the product’s condition before deciding whether it goes back into saleable stock.
- Real-time visibility of stock, orders and returns from the Bolian One dashboard.
How we start: we analyse your catalogue (references, batches, formats and channels), connect your online store and, if you sell to pharmacies or distributors, your ERP. We define the rules for each order with you (kits, inserts, packaging) and plan the receipt of the initial stock so that batch and expiry control works from the very first week.
Specialities
Specialities within cosmetics
Logistics provider for natural cosmetics brands
Natural and organic cosmetics brands often work with shorter batches, formulas with fewer preservatives and customers who pay close attention to packaging. We prioritise FEFO rotation so short-dated batches do not build up, keep every batch identified and work with the packaging and void-fill material your brand specifies, for example paper instead of plastic.
Make-up
Many shades per reference, small containers and frequent launches. Barcode-guided picking prevents similar shades from being confused, and real-time inventory shows which variants are running out before a campaign.
Perfumery
Gift boxes that must not arrive damaged and orders with a high value per unit. We take care of protective packaging and presentation. Alcohol-based fragrances may be subject to transport restrictions depending on the carrier and destination country, so we review this with you before starting.
Dermocosmetics and skincare
Dermocosmetics combines the pharmacy channel with online sales and requires strict batch and expiry control. We explain it in detail on our page on dermocosmetics and skincare logistics.
Success story
Pierre Fabre: shipments to pharmacies with batch control
For more than 7 years we have managed the «Premios Live!» promotion for Pierre Fabre’s cosmetics brands. Products are organised by reference and batch in individual totes, in an exclusive locked area, and every week more than 100 direct shipments go out to pharmacies, with the client’s database integrated into our system and incidents coordinated daily with their customer service team.
Latest success stories
Optimise your logistics together with Bolian
+350.000
units
20
robots
20.000
bins
Worldwide subscriptions
+100
direct shipments to pharmacies on a weekly basis
Logistics partners
direct connection
Incidents and returns
day-to-day management
More than 100 direct shipments to pharmacies
10.000
different skus
10
courier partners
2.000
daily orders
+10.000
Black Friday orders
More than 2,000 orders per day
Canary Islands → mainland Spain
stock in Barcelona for mainland customers
Summer season
orders picked and checked one by one
3PL fulfillment
storage, picking and shipping
Swimwear from the Canary Islands to all of mainland Spain
They already trust
Accelerate your logistics and growth with Bolian
Do you want to order your cosmetic logistics?
We analyse your operations, understand the sensitivity of your products and show you how to structure stock, orders and returns with precision and traceability.
Connect your shop and you're done.
Bolian integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce and marketplaces to synchronise orders and stock without manual processes.
European fulfillment specializing in cosmetics and beauty
Cosmetic logistics have requirements that a general operator cannot meet: traceability by batch and serial number, temperature control, expiry date management, specialised packaging, and industry-specific certifications. Bolian has direct experience with cosmetic, beauty, and parapharmacy brands distributing in Europe.
Temperature control and batch traceability
The Bolian system automatically manages stock rotation by expiry date (FEFO — First Expired, First Out), ensuring that products with the nearest expiry date are always dispatched first. Batch traceability allows for the location of any unit at any time, an essential requirement in the event of a product alert or recall.
B2B and DTC shipping for cosmetics brands in Europe
Cosmetics brands operate in two distinct channels: DTC (direct-to-consumer) shipments from their online store and B2B shipments to distributors, pharmacies, perfumeries, and retailers. Bolian manages both from the same warehouse, with processes and documentation adapted to each type of order.
Frequently asked questions
What certifications does Bolian have for managing cosmetics?
Bolian operates under Good Distribution Practice (GDP) standards with the necessary protocols for managing cosmetic products regulated by Regulation (EC) 1223/2009. For products requiring ISO 22716 certification, we consult on a case-by-case basis.
How is a product recall managed from Bolian?
Batch traceability allows for real-time identification of which units of a specific batch are in stock and which have been shipped. In the event of an alert, the Bolian team can immediately block the affected batch and provide a complete list of recipients.
Do you handle returns of cosmetics?
Yes. Returns undergo a visual inspection and inventory process before a decision is made on whether the product can be reintegrated into stock or must be discarded. Everything is recorded in the system with a photograph of the product's condition upon receipt.
What is the minimum volume of SKUs you work with in cosmetics?
There is no minimum SKU requirement. We manage everything from small catalogues of 10-20 items to operations with hundreds of SKUs with batch and expiry variants.
Do you work with natural and organic cosmetics brands?
Yes. We apply FEFO rotation, batch control in every order and the packaging material the brand specifies. If your product has specific storage requirements, we review them with you before starting.
Do you assemble kits, gift boxes and promotional packs?
Yes. We assemble kits, sets and campaign packs in the warehouse and add cards, messages or inserts to each order according to the rules you define.
Can you handle the online store and orders to pharmacies or distributors at the same time?
Yes. We manage B2C and B2B from the same stock and the same dashboard: single-unit shipments to consumers and carton or pallet orders with their documentation for pharmacies, perfumeries and distributors.
Which countries do you ship to and with what lead times?
From our facilities in the Barcelona area we ship to the whole of Spain in 24-48 h. France and Portugal, 24-48 h; Italy and Germany, 48-72 h; and the rest of the European Union, between 3 and 5 working days.
Ready for your day-to-day... and your campaigns?
Operation designed to manage thousands of daily orders, keep your stock in order and stabilise your shipments even during peaks such as Black Friday.
- Precise logistics, fully under control
- Real-time visibility of orders and stock
- Stable performance during peaks and launches
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