Research

The research committee is a space for anyone interested in product development (PD) or research & development (R&D)! Our main goal is to provide exposure to more scientific and technical aspects of cosmetic products. We hope to help our members gain hands-on experience working with ingredients and learn about their properties, whether it is in a lab or the kitchen. As sustainability increasingly becomes a priority in the beauty industry, we also hope to integrate sustainable practices into our work.

This semester was the first semester working on an actual project after a long break of no lab projects! Our first project was a body butter project, where we incorporated shea butter, cocoa butter, and other oils to create an anhydrous product. Anhydrous cosmetics are also, generally, much more sustainable than water-based projects, so it also played into our sustainability initiatives. Since our formulations were done in a kitchen, we also felt it was important to highlight the potential risks of making at-home cosmetics. As such, we also created a rice-toner project, which emphasized shelf-life and preservation in DIY cosmetics. 

What We Discovered

While conducting our research, we experimented with ingredient ratios. As such, we were able to see how adding different amounts of certain ingredients affected the final consistency and efficacy of our products. This was truly one of the most fun parts of working on these formulations!  

The research committee has hosted speaker panels in the past, where we brought on experienced cosmetic chemists, product developers, and business owners we hope to continue this in the Fall Semester. The goal of our committee is to foster an inclusive community of aspiring cosmetic chemists, whether they are a part of the research committee or not.