Introduction to
Cosmetic Formulating
WHAT YOU’LL
LEARN
• Cosmetic industry
• Types of products & formulation forms
• Types of raw materials
• Testing requirements
• Setting up a cosmetic lab
Information to make you a
better cosmetic chemist
ALMOST EVERYTHING I LEARNED
ABOUT FORMULATING, I
LEARNED ON THE JOB AND
FROM OTHER FORMULATORS…
NOT IN COLLEGE
You don’t need chemistry degree to
learn to formulate…
•BUT IF YOU WANT A JOB AS
A FORMULATOR, THEN YOU’LL
BEING A COSMETIC CHEMIST IS
GREAT!
• Low stress
• Inventing
• Creative
• Learning
• Fun!
• Actual Impact
THE COSMETICS INDUSTRY
KNOWING THE INDUSTRY WILL HELP
YOU START YOUR CAREER, GET
FORMULATION IDEAS, & HELP YOU
INNOVATE
SKIN PRODUCTS
Image of hair products
HAIR
PRODUCTS
Image of color cosmetics
COLOR COSMETICS
PERFUME
&
FRAGRAN
CES
ORAL / PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
• Toothpaste
• Mouthwash
• Whitening strips
• Deodorant
• Depilatories
COSMETIC-TYPE
PRODUCTS WITH
FDA
MONOGRAPHS
(OTC)
• Restricted Active Ingredients
• Restricted Claims
COSMETIC-TYPE PRODUCTS
WITH FDA
MONOGRAPHS (OTC)
• Sunscreen
• Antiperspirant
• Skin lightening
• Psoriasis treatments
• Wart Removers
• Anti-acne products
• Toothpaste (with fluoride)
• Anti-microbial products
• Topical Analgesics
TOP
COSMETIC
COMPANIE
S 2019*
1. L’Oréal
2. Unilever
3. Estée Lauder
$30.8 billion
$23.6 billion
$14.9 billion
4. Procter & Gamble $12.4 billion
5. Shiseido
6. Coty
7. LVMH
8. Beiersdorf
9. J&J
10. Kao
$9.9 billion
$9.3 billion
$6.9 billion
$6.7 billion
$6.3 billion
$5.7 billion
* https://www.beautypackaging.com/heaps/
view/6459/1/
STRONGEST PERSONAL CARE
BRANDS
• 1) L’OREAL
PARIS
• 2) COLGATE
• 3) GILLETTE
• 4) LANCOME
• 5) NIVEA
• 6) GARNIER
• 7) CLINIQUE
• 8) DOVE
• 9) ESTEE LAUDER
• 10) PANTENE PRO V
• 11) OLAY
• 12) CREST
• 13) SHISEIDO
• 14) ORAL-B
• 15) HEAD AND
SHOULDERS
* According to Women’s Wear Daily
TOP COSMETIC
BRANDS
Emulate Formulas
From these brands when you
Create Products
COSMETIC RAW MATERIALS
KNOWING THE RAW MATERIALS IS
ESSENTIAL INFORMATION FOR YOU TO
MAKE COSMETIC FORMULAS
COSMETIC RAW
MATERIALS
• Functional
• Aesthetic
• Claims / Marketing
• Found in the INCI Dictionary
COSMETIC RAW
MATERIAL
CLASSIFICATIONS
MOST IMPORTANT
FUNCTIONAL COSMETIC RAW
MATERIALS
● Cleansers
Conditioning Agents
Colorants
Fragrances
Active ingredients
Film formers
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AESTHETIC RAW
MATERIALS
• Solvents
• Adjusters
• Thickeners
• Fragrance
• Fillers
• Special Effects
• Delivery Systems
• Preservatives
CLAIMS
INGREDIENTS
• Added to support a marketing story
• Vitamins
• Botanical Extracts
• Proteins
• Anti-Aging
• Advanced technology
TYPES OF COSMETIC FORMULAS
KNOWING THE FORMULA TYPES WILL
ALLOW YOU TO CREATE PRODUCTS
THAT CONSUMERS WANT TO USE
8 FORMULATION
TYPES
● Solutions
Creams
Lotions
Ointments
Powders
Gels
Sticks
Aerosols
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6 STEPS TO
CREATING A COSMETIC FORMULA /
PRODUCT
• Getting set up
• Picking a benchmark
• Starting formulas
• Raw materials
• Making prototypes
• Testing
TO FORMULATE YOU
NEED TO HAVE THE
RIGHT EQUIPMENT
ESSENTIAL LAB
EQUIPMENT
• Containers
• Weighing equipment
• Mixers
• Heating & Cooling
devices
• Lab supplies
• Testing
equipment
STEP 2 – PICKING A
BENCHMARK
Benchmark: A commercial product that
approximates your desired product
FACTORS WHEN CHOOSING A
BENCHMARK
• Performance characteristics
• Aesthetics
• Market Popularity
• Matches your
consumer expectations
USING A
BENCHMARK
•QUANTIFY HOW IT WORKS USE THE
PRODUCT
•NOTE PERFORMANCE DO LAB TESTS
CHARACTERISTICS
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● Foam
Feel
Odor
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STEP 3 – FINDING A STARTING
FORMULA
WHERE TO GET STARTING
FORMULAS
● Chemical suppliers
Patents
Books
Trade journals
Ingredient lists
LOIs
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STEP 4 - COSMETIC RAW MATERIALS
LEARNING ABOUT RAW
MATERIALS
• INCI Dictionary
• Buyer’s Guide
– Happi.com
– PCPC buyers guide
• Aggregators
– ulprospector.com
– knowde.com
– chemberry.com
• Trade shows
Get in-depth information about
How, when & why to use specific
cosmetic ingredients
https://bit.ly/PCF-raw-materials
GETTING RAW
MATERIALS
• Order from supplier
• Meet sales people at SCC meetings
• Trade shows
• Buying ingredients
– Amazon
– Direct from supplier
– eBay
STEP 5 – MAKING PROTOTYPES
BASIC
PROCEDURE
• Largest volume first
• Add powders first.
• Heat formula
• Add liquid ingredients
• Mix at high temp 20 min
• Cool batch
• Below 40C add temp
sensitive
ingredients
• Cool to RT
Step 6 - Testing Prototypes
Knowing how to test cosmetics
ensures you make high quality, safe,
stable & legal products
TYPES OF
TESTING
● QC / QA
pH
Viscosity test
Odor check
Appearance check
Stability testing
Microbial testing
Performance
testing
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HTTP://CHEMISTSCORNER.COM/F

Introduction to Cosmetics formulation and development