PERRY ROMANOWSKI
Element 44 Inc, Chicago, USA

One of the biggest challenges for a cosmetic formulator is to create products that are both effective and appealing to use plus, different from all the other products on the market. The problem is made harder because we all have access to almost the same set of chemicals and consumers are not very good at noticing subtle differences. This is why factors not controlled by the chemist such as packaging, branding and price are often more effective in selling products than the formulas themselves.

However, there are things about a formula that can be controlled by chemists and are noticed by consumers. These include color, fragrance, and texture. Now, creating the right color for a makeup pallet takes some skill, but ultimately it is just a matter of picking the right proportions of approved color additives. And consumers can quickly know whether they like the color of a product or not.

Similarly, while fragrance is chemistry it’s not something that most cosmetic chemists control. Instead, you work with a fragrance house. Their perfumers come up with odors that appeal to consumers and that is what’s put in your formula. It’s actual ...