AI Tools Overview

Overview

Formuley includes a suite of AI-powered tools designed to help you create formulas faster, optimize costs, troubleshoot problems, and navigate regulatory questions. AI tools are available on the Pro tier and above and are accessed through the AI chat interface in the sidebar.

Accessing AI Tools

The AI chat panel is available from the sidebar. Click the AI Assistant icon to open the chat interface. From there, you can type a request in natural language or select one of the dedicated AI tools described below.

Available AI Tools

Formula Generator

Describe the product you want to make, and the AI generates a complete formula with suggested ingredients, percentages, and a production procedure. This is the fastest way to create a starting point for a new product. See Using the Formula Generator for a detailed walkthrough.

Soap Recipe Generator

A specialized version of the Formula Generator built specifically for soap makers. Describe your desired soap characteristics (hardness, lather, conditioning), and the AI creates a recipe with oil percentages, lye calculations, and predicted soap qualities.

Cost Optimizer

Provide an existing formula, and the AI suggests lower-cost ingredient alternatives that maintain similar performance characteristics. The optimizer considers your ingredient library and current costs to recommend substitutions that keep quality high while reducing your cost of goods.

Troubleshooter

Describe a problem with an existing formula -- separation, graininess, discoloration, instability, unexpected texture -- and the AI suggests potential causes and fixes. The Troubleshooter draws on cosmetic chemistry principles to help you diagnose and resolve formulation issues.

Regulatory Q&A

Ask questions about cosmetics regulations, labeling requirements, ingredient restrictions, and compliance standards. The AI provides guidance based on FDA, EU, and other regulatory frameworks. Note that AI responses are informational and should not be treated as legal advice -- always verify regulatory requirements with official sources.

Ingredient Suggester

Describe a desired product property (for example, "a natural emollient that absorbs quickly") and the AI recommends ingredients from your library -- or suggests new ones to add -- that match your requirements. This is useful when you know what effect you want but are not sure which ingredient to use.

Usage Limits by Tier

AI tool usage is metered based on your subscription tier:

Tier	Generations per Day	Chat Sessions per Day
Trial	10	5
Maker	Not available	Not available
Pro	Generous limits	Generous limits
Business+	Higher limits	Higher limits
Enterprise	Unlimited	Unlimited

AI tools are not available on the Maker plan. Upgrade to Pro or higher to unlock AI-powered assistance.

Your current usage is displayed at the bottom of the AI chat panel. If you reach your daily limit, you can continue using all non-AI features normally. Limits reset at midnight UTC.

Data Privacy and Security

Formuley takes your data privacy seriously when processing AI requests:

Data sanitization. Before any data is sent to the AI model, sensitive information such as exact costs, supplier details, and proprietary percentages is sanitized. Your raw business data never leaves Formuley in its original form.
No training on your data. Your formulas, ingredients, and business data are not used to train AI models.
AI disclaimer. Every AI response includes a disclaimer reminding you that AI-generated content should be reviewed and validated before use in production.

How to Use the AI Chat

Open the AI Assistant from the sidebar.
Type your request in the chat input field. Be as specific as possible about what you need.
The AI processes your request and returns a response in the chat panel.
Review the response. You can ask follow-up questions, request modifications, or start a new conversation.
Where applicable (such as with the Formula Generator), you can save the AI's output directly to your formula library.

Tips

Be specific in your requests. "A lightweight face serum with vitamin C and niacinamide for oily skin" produces better results than "make a serum."
Use the Troubleshooter before scrapping a problematic formula. The AI often identifies simple fixes you might not have considered.
Combine the Cost Optimizer with Profit Guardian alerts. When Profit Guardian flags a formula with declining margins, run the Cost Optimizer to find savings.
Always review AI-generated formulas before making a batch. AI suggestions are starting points, not production-ready recipes.