How to Become a Cosmetic Formulator: Start Learning Today

Have you been thinking about becoming a cosmetic formulator, creating your own skin care or hair care products, or developing a product line of your own?

You can start learning today.

Professional cosmetic formulation is much more than following recipes or combining ingredients. It is learning how ingredients function together, how to build and customize formulas, how to create stable products, and how to move an idea from the formulation bench toward a finished cosmetic product.

If you are new to formulation and want to understand what cosmetic formulators actually do, what you need to learn, and the different paths you can take, start here:

Learn Cosmetic Formulation: A Guide to Professional Skin Care + Hair Care Formulation

Can You Learn Cosmetic Formulation Online?

Yes.

Our Professional Natural Skin Care and Hair Care Formulation Courses are 100% online, allowing you to learn from wherever you live and work through your training at your own pace.

There is no need to wait for a semester to begin before you start learning.

After enrolling in one of our Professional Courses, you receive immediate access to your complete online course, training materials, formulation lessons, videos, professional formulations, and resources.

You can begin learning, and begin formulating, right away.

Learn at Your Own Pace

One of the most important benefits of online cosmetic formulation training is flexibility.

Some students move through their training quickly, while others study around a business, career, family, or other responsibilities.

With Lifetime Course Access, you can return to your lessons, formulations, videos, and resources whenever you need them.

Formulation is a skill that develops through learning, making, observing, testing, troubleshooting, and making again. Having continued access to your training means your course can remain a reference as your formulation knowledge and experience grow.

Professional Natural Hair Care Formulation Course

If you want to learn how to formulate professional hair and scalp care products, the Professional Natural Hair Care Formulation Course provides comprehensive training in natural, plant-based hair care formulation.

Your training currently includes:

• 14 comprehensive modules
• 228+ step-by-step lessons
• 180+ training videos
• 64 professional hair care formulations
• Detailed handouts, formulas, procedures, worksheets, equipment recommendations, and supplier information
• Private student community
• Lifetime Course Access + course updates
• Diploma upon successful completion of the course

The course goes beyond giving you formulas to copy. You learn the principles behind developing shampoos, conditioners, masks, leave-ins, styling products, serums, scalp products, hair oils, and other professional hair care formulations.

You will also learn how to formulate for different hair textures, porosities, needs, and product goals, and how to customize formulations as your skills develop.

“This course covers everything you need to start your own business and provides you with the proper knowledge about all hair types. I love that you receive valuable resources, formulations, demo videos, thorough lectures, and testimonials. Not only that, you get lifelong access to it all + additional updated information. Im so glad I found this course and would highly recommend it to anyone wanting gain more knowledge about hair care and formulating.”

Marrina Jackson, Pro Natural Hair Alumni

Explore the Professional Natural Hair Care Formulation Course

Professional Natural Skin Care Formulation Course

If your interest is professional skin care formulation, the Professional Natural Skin Care Formulation Course teaches you how to develop natural, plant-based skin care products while building a strong foundation in formulation science.

Your training currently includes:

• 18 comprehensive modules
• 263+ step-by-step lessons
• 225+ training videos
• 55 professional skin care formulations
• Detailed handouts, formulas, procedures, worksheets, equipment recommendations, and supplier information
• Private student community
• Lifetime Course Access + course updates
• Diploma upon successful completion of the course

Students learn about ingredient functions, skin structure and function, emulsions, preservation, pH, stability, product development, testing, GMP, formulation procedures, and much more.

You will learn to formulate products including cleansers, tonics, serums, moisturizers, creams, facial oils, balms, masks, body products, and other skin care formulations.

Most importantly, the goal is not simply to teach you how to make our formulas. It is to help you develop the knowledge to understand why a formula works and how to begin making informed formulation decisions of your own.

“I am so grateful to have taken Joan’s course. Joan exudes knowledge, years of experience and a genuine willingness to share her experience so you can better equip yourself in your beauty product creation endeavors. Her course material and online method of teaching is full of so much useful information. I love that I can go back to review the material and there is no time limit to access the material.”

Melba Scott, Pro Natural Skin Alumni

Explore the Professional Natural Skin Care Formulation Course

What Makes Our Professional Cosmetic Formulation Training Different?

1. Lifetime Course Access

Learning formulation does not end when you finish a lesson or complete a course.

You can return to your course materials, videos, formulations, and resources whenever you need them and continue accessing course updates as they are added.

Your course becomes a long-term formulation resource you can refer back to as your skills and experience develop.

2. Natural, Plant-Based + 100% Vegan Formulations

Our approach combines natural, plant-based ingredients with science-based cosmetic formulation principles.

Our course formulations contain no animal-derived ingredients and emphasize thoughtfully selected plant-based and naturally derived ingredients, sustainability, ingredient performance, and responsible green cosmetic formulation.

Natural formulation does not mean overlooking science.

A professionally developed natural cosmetic still requires careful consideration of ingredient compatibility, preservation, pH, stability, manufacturing procedures, testing, packaging, and product performance.

3. Learn Formulation—Not Just Recipes

There is an important difference between learning to make a product and learning to formulate one.

A recipe tells you what ingredients to combine.

Professional formulation teaches you why the ingredients are there.

You learn to think about:

• Ingredient function and compatibility
• Formulation percentages
• Emulsification
• Surfactant and conditioning systems
• Preservation
• pH
• Viscosity and texture
• Processing and manufacturing procedures
• Stability and testing
• Packaging compatibility
• Product customization
• Scaling and production

This knowledge is what begins moving you from simply following formulas toward thinking like a cosmetic formulator.

Learn more about what professional cosmetic formulation involves →

4. Professional Training Created in California + Accessible Worldwide

Our online formulation training was created in California, USA, and students from around the world have studied with us.

We carefully consider ingredients, equipment, and resources that students can source while teaching professional formulation principles that can be applied wherever your formulation journey takes you.

5. Learn from Experience

I have been formulating and teaching cosmetic formulation for more than 20 years.

Over those years, I have developed and tested thousands of formulations, worked with countless cosmetic ingredients and raw materials, evaluated equipment and formulation methods, and taught students around the world.

I bring that experience into my courses so you can learn not only formulation theory, but the practical knowledge that comes from working at the formulation bench.

Who Can Become a Cosmetic Formulator?

People come to cosmetic formulation from many different backgrounds.

You may want to:

• Create your own professional skin care or hair care line
• Develop products for an existing beauty business
• Become a cosmetic formulator or compounder
• Formulate products for clients
• Expand the products you already make
• Add formulation knowledge to your work as an esthetician, hairstylist, trichologist, spa professional, or beauty professional
• Or simply develop a deeper understanding of how professional cosmetic products are created

You do not have to begin by knowing everything.

You begin by learning the foundations, practicing the skill, understanding your ingredients, documenting your work, making formulations, evaluating the results, and continuing to learn.

Ready to Learn Cosmetic Formulation?

If becoming a cosmetic formulator is something you have been thinking about, begin by learning more about the profession and the skills involved.

Learn Cosmetic Formulation: Professional Skin Care + Hair Care Formulation Training

When you’re ready to begin your professional training, you can start immediately:

Professional Natural Skin Care Formulation Course

Professional Natural Hair Care Formulation Course

100% Online Training. Learn at your own pace, from anywhere.