How I Became a
Cosmetic Scientist & Formulator
One of the questions a lot of people ask me is how I became a Cosmetic Scientist and formulator! Others are curious about what a cosmetic formulator does and what it takes to be one.
Simply, a Cosmetic formulator is someone who does research and develops skin care, hair care and color cosmetic products for cosmetic companies. This involves ideation, formulation and claims development. I’ve found that everyone who works in this industry had a slightly different path. Here is mine.
Growing up I had fantasized about different careers from Aeronautic engineer, Air hostess, TV presenter, Hair stylist, Fashion designer and what have you! I even auditioned to be a newscaster. My career aspirations evolved over the years, until I discovered my ideal career.
Early Education
In High School, I majored in Chemistry, Biology and Physics. I had not yet figured out what career path I wanted to follow. However, I thought becoming a doctor or pharmacist will be good choices since these were both high paying jobs. I developed a love for Biology and Chemistry. I loathed Physics!
After high school, upon deep introspection I realized medicine was not for me. This was because, I could not stand the sight of someone else’s blood – I will cringe and feel sick to my stomach. I decided to major in Pharmacy in College, however I did not make it into Pharmacy school and ended up studying Biochemistry. I realized rather quickly that a first degree in Biochemistry was the way to go for someone undecided like me – as this field is broad and one has several different career pathways to consider after graduating.
I did well in Biochemistry, but had no clue
what kind of job to do when I got out. I did internships in the food industry,
both in research and in product development. These were both good experiences,
but did not excite me enough. The defining moment was when I attended a career
seminar, and the presenter mentioned cosmetics formulation as a career. The
thought of being able to make beauty products immediately resonated with me!
I started my career after college in the food
industry, as they were no cosmetic companies in my country Ghana. However, this
desire to be a cosmetic formulator was still there.
Cosmetic Science Course
I did some research and realized that there were
two main paths to becoming a cosmetic formulator – formal education or on the
job training, working in the industry. I looked online for masters programs and
found three schools at the time, all in the US offering these programs. The
University of Cincinnati, Rhode Island University and Fairleigh Dickinson
University. I applied and got accepted to all three schools and decided to go
to FDU after carefully reviewing the course content and the cost of study.
FDU was a great choice because the courses were specifically focused on developing skin care, hair care and color cosmetic products. Also, almost all the professors work in the cosmetic industry and have several years of experience in the industry. My favorite class was the cosmetic formulations lab, I loved it!
While in my program, I interned at Chemaid
Labs, a contract manufacturing company as a product stability Technician. It
was a good introduction to the industry, however I yearned to be on the bench
formulating.
Cosmetics Career
After graduation, I landed a contract
position at Johnson & Johnson consumer products as a Formulations Scientist
for facial care products. I was fascinated and learned quickly because of my
love and passion for the industry and my educational background. It was fun
working with all the ingredients I had learned about in school. I worked on
different product types for facial care – cleansers, scrubs and moisturizers
for some of their big brands like Neutrogena, Clean & Clear and Roc.
After about a year and a half at J&J, I got a permanent job at Palmer’s as a Formulations Chemist, I was stoked! Growing up in Ghana, I had used Palmer’s skin care products which is a highly loved personal care brand in Ghana. Palmer’s was a smaller company than J&J, and that meant a Chemist got to work on different product types simultaneously. I was privileged to develop skin care, hair care and color cosmetic products for their brands. It was always a joy to go into a store like Wal-Mart or Target and see products I developed on the shelf.
After almost five years at Palmer’s, I moved on to Colgate-Palmolive as a Senior Research Scientist, where I worked for four years. At Colgate-Palmolive I formulated skincare, suncare and haircare products for their Protex, Neutro Balance, Palmolive haircare and EltaMD brands.
My advice if you are considering working in this industry, is to do an internship and that will help you decide first hand if this is for you. To gain formulation experience in all the different product categories as quickly as possible it is best to start out working in a smaller company that has a broad portfolio or a contract manufacturer. Bigger companies tend to have formulators specialize in one or the other category eg. Shampoos, Conditioners, Lotions or Cleansers etc.
The key to success in this industry is
to have a passion for your consumers and be interested in the industry in
general. Know the ingredients types and their functions and also have an in
depth knowledge of the biology and physiology of skin and hair.
