How the formulation of cosmetics is changing its nature. Actors required and exogenous themes.

The art behind Personal Care products formulation is doubtless a fascinating, interesting, highly technical and complex one. The article describes key processes and traditional requests that formulators face to develop safe, performant, pleasant and successful finished products. Nevertheless, in 2019 this work cannot be managed anymore by a single professional figure.

In fact, nowadays new trends, regulatory requests, and customers’ needs, have added to the formulation science many new challenges which are hard, if not impossible, to be all simultaneously satisfied simply relying on the capacity of a single person. Today, it’s reasonable to speak about Personal Care Formulation Team, to develop finished formulations fulfilling the 2020 Cosmetic field needs.

A triangle scheme can easily represent this working team; on the top vertex, of course we have the Cosmetic formulator, holding raw materials and finished products science and know-how, and keeping always an eye open on market trends and requests. In his job, he/she can be supported by a second figure: the Dermatologist. This is essential in an era where cosmetics are evolving to dermocosmetics, and where it is essential to prove products efficacy and safety through related experimental tests. Speaking about safety, and linking this topic with one of the hottest ones in Personal Care (See Microbiota) it is impossible not to welcome as third vertex of the formulation team a microbiologist; this figure can bring its knowledge in terms of formula protection and skin microbes equilibrium.