The Certificate in Cosmetic Chemistry begins in January with a 6 week online Introduction to Cosmetic Science course.  Cosmetic Chemistry is the science of creating safe and effective formulas for cosmetic products, and this course is the gateway into that realm. In this class, you will receive a broad overview of the cosmetic industry infrastructure and regulations, and cover the primary cosmetic categories, description of ingredient names and their origins, as well as basic raw material categories, functions, and how to link these ingredients to claims. 

There are no in-person labs for this class.  All lectures and discussion sessions are held conveniently online.

This class establishes a frame-work for the second course in the series: Skin and Hair Biology.

Building on the basics of the introductory section,  the Skin and Hair Biology course takes a deep dive into the Cosmetic Chemist’s processes for the development of skin and hair products, based on the biology of the respective structures. It will demonstrate how products are developed based on the specific claims or condition they are looking to address. You will also learn how these products are then tested to verify they are safe, effective, and support the claims they make. 

This class provides a foundation for the third class in the program: Emulsion and Surfactant Technology.

This hands-on course, the third in the Cosmetic Chemistry series, covers the fundamentals of emulsion and surfactant technologies, and includes a lab component. It draws upon knowledge learned about skin and hair biology to begin translation into full product development. Strategies to ensure a scalable, stable, and marketable product will also be discussed. 

Students will be introduced to Coptis PLM Formulating Software.  Coptis Labs has generously provided UCR Chemistry access to their software at an educational discount, which translates to you learning how to manage and track your formulation from start to finish.  Read more about the advantages of this tool here.

Lectures are held online.

This course also has an in-person lab, typically held the first weekend in August.  Lab runs from 9 am to 5 pm on Saturday and Sunday.  

Lab is the highlight of the Certificate.  Translating theory to practice in hands-on experiments has a profound impact on your ability to create successful formulations.  Multiple experiments will be performed throughout lab.  

For those new to the field you will learn how to use a mixer, viscometer, specific gravity cups, and a homogenizer.  For those with some experience in the lab already, you will improve your critical thinking skills while you perfect your lab bench techniques.   All will come out of the two-day intensive lab confident and prepared for the 4th and final class: Product Development with an Independent Project.

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Each subsequent course builds on the previous material acting as a prerequisite for the following course.   If you are interested in just taking the lab classes, some accommodations can be made for those with some experience in the lab within the industry.  We encourage the full program to be taken so theory from the first two classes may be put to practice in the last two lab classes.

The final project-based course in the Cosmetic Chemistry program allows you to showcase what you have learned, and provides you with a concept to guide you to develop your own unique product. Then, you will create technical proposals from the concepts before developing the testing requirements for marketing claims, and outline a path to full scale development. The course concludes with you creating an original prototype, and bringing your product to market. 

Lectures are held online.

Four days of lab are held in person in Pierce Hall @ UCR over two weekends.

Labs are  held Saturday and Sunday in November and/or early December, with the two weekends separated by 1-2 weeks.  This allows for products to undergo stability testing at room and elevated temperatures.

You will gain more experience with lab equipment and work with your instructor to problem solve formulating issues.  By the end of the class, you will showcase your product.  

Students have created hair oils, body butters, anti-aging creams, lipsticks and fragrances that have unique features for a particular demographic.  A variety of markets for individual projects have been presented including small boutique buyers and large big-box stores.  

Prior to enrolling, please ensure that you meet the following minimum requirements:

• At least two years of postsecondary chemistry or biology coursework

• A foundational understanding of chemistry

• A background in science, or at least two years of experience working in the cosmetics industry in a technical role

As of November 2025, currently students currently enrolled at UCR, who meet the prerequisites listed above, may enroll in the program via R'Web.

Undergraduate Students:  Sign up for CHEM 199U

Graduate Students: Sign up for CHEM 299U

This will enroll you in Intro to Cosmetic Science that begins January 2026.

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For UC, Cal State & Community College students, please note that the courses are not currently co-listed with your campus.    The Certificate builds on the core or major courses taken in college like General Chemistry, Biology and Physics.  Because the Certificate is tailored specifically for Professional Development for the Cosmetics field, UCR Chemistry partners with University Extension to offer the classes.

Be sure to read more about the Certificate in Cosmetic Chemistry at their website, too.

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UCR Extension has a proven track-record of improving their
student's career trajectories.  

UCR Chemistry is a proud partner with UCR Extension in providing scientists with access to lab-training in Cosmetic Chemistry on the West Coast.