Raw Material & Ingredient Sourcing Advisor

Resilient ingredient supply chains for beauty & personal care

I help beauty and personal care companies secure critical ingredients, reduce cost volatility, and build supply chains that scale — drawing on 15+ years of global procurement leadership including Senior Director of Procurement & Sourcing at Olaplex.

Beauty Brands Personal Care Contract Manufacturing Indie & Emerging Brands
15+
Years of Global Procurement
$500M+
In Sourcing Leadership
4
Senior Leadership Roles
Global
Ingredient Supplier Network
SURFACTANT BOTANICAL ACTIVE EMULSIFIER FRAGRANCE SPECIALTY
About Alex Kirby

Procurement expertise built inside the industry

I help beauty and personal care companies secure critical ingredients, reduce cost volatility, and build resilient supply chains — from early-stage indie brands to established global manufacturers.

My experience spans both brand-side procurement and global ingredient sourcing, giving me a grounded, practical perspective on the full supply chain: from supplier qualification and regulatory considerations to COGS strategy and risk mitigation.

Before founding Kirby Sourcing Advisory, I spent over 15 years in senior procurement leadership roles across beauty, consumer goods, chemicals, and logistics — including serving as Senior Director of Procurement & Sourcing at Olaplex.

  • Senior Director, Procurement & SourcingOlaplex
  • Director of ProcurementMethod / SC Johnson
  • Head of ProcurementMaersk APM Terminals
  • Director of Supply ChainNorman Fox — Ingredient Manufacturer & Importer

Areas of specialization

  • Cosmetic actives, surfactants, fragrances, emulsifiers & specialty chemicals
  • Global ingredient supplier identification and qualification
  • Supply risk assessment and dual-source strategy
  • COGS reduction and raw material cost benchmarking
  • Tariff and geopolitical exposure analysis
  • R&D formulation support for ingredient availability and feasibility

Who I work with

  • Emerging beauty and personal care brands
  • Contract manufacturers
  • Indie skincare and haircare companies
  • Consumer goods startups scaling production
Core services

How I can help

Practical, hands-on sourcing advisory across the full ingredient supply chain lifecycle.

01

Ingredient & Raw Material Sourcing

Identify and qualify global suppliers for cosmetic ingredients including actives, surfactants, fragrances, emulsifiers, and specialty chemicals.

  • Supplier identification and vetting
  • Pricing benchmarking
  • Regulatory considerations
  • Supplier qualification strategy
02

Cost Optimization & COGS Reduction

Evaluate raw material sourcing strategies to identify meaningful cost savings without compromising quality or supply continuity.

  • Supplier renegotiation support
  • Alternative ingredient sourcing
  • MOQ and logistics optimization
  • Supplier consolidation strategy
03

Supply Risk & Dual-Sourcing Strategy

Many brands rely on single-source ingredients without fully understanding the exposure. I help identify and resolve those vulnerabilities before they become crises.

  • Ingredient supply risk assessments
  • Dual-source supplier qualification
  • Contingency sourcing strategies
  • Geopolitical and tariff exposure analysis
04

Innovation & Formula Development Support

Partner with R&D teams during early-stage formulation to ensure ingredient availability, cost feasibility, and scalable sourcing — preventing costly late-stage reformulation.

  • Ingredient availability screening
  • Cost feasibility analysis
  • Scalable sourcing strategy
  • Supplier readiness for launch volumes
Global reach

Sourcing from anywhere ingredients are made

A global supplier network spanning key ingredient-producing regions across Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

China France India Brazil Japan Germany USA Brand hub Supplier origin Supply route
Typical engagements

Ways we can work together

Flexible engagement models designed to meet you where you are.

3–4 weeks

Ingredient Supply Chain Audit

A focused assessment of your current ingredient sourcing strategy and supply risk landscape — with clear findings and prioritized recommendations.

Project-based

Supplier Identification & Qualification

End-to-end support identifying, vetting, and qualifying ingredient suppliers globally for specific categories or formulation needs.

Project-based

COGS Optimization Projects

Strategic sourcing initiatives focused on reducing ingredient costs through renegotiation, alternative sourcing, and consolidation opportunities.

Ongoing / Retainer

Fractional Procurement Leadership

Part-time strategic procurement support for scaling brands that aren't ready for — or don't need — a full-time procurement hire.

Who I work with

Built for brands navigating complex supply chains

Whether you're scaling your first product or managing a global supply network, I bring the experience to match your stage.

Emerging Beauty Brands

Brands building their supply chain from the ground up who need expert guidance without a full-time procurement team.

Contract Manufacturers

CMOs looking to strengthen ingredient sourcing, reduce single-source risk, and improve supplier terms.

Indie Skincare & Haircare

Founder-led brands scaling production and navigating ingredient availability, regulatory nuance, and COGS pressure.

Consumer Goods Startups

Growth-stage companies that need strategic procurement support to scale without expensive surprises.

Get in touch

Let's talk

Ready to strengthen your ingredient supply chain?

Whether you're facing an urgent sourcing challenge or planning ahead, I'd welcome a conversation about how I can help.

Email
alex@kirbysourcing.com
Phone
(310) 245-8520
Location
San Francisco, CA