How to Start Making Skincare Products - Formulating for Beginners

I can't even count how many messages I have received saying something similar to this "I wanna start making cosmetics but I don't know where to start!"

Well I'm going to create a series of videos taking you step by step on what I think is the best order to go about starting your quest of making skincare products. This is going to be a series of videos/blog posts for beginners. This way whenever someone messages me with these questions I can just send them a link to this series of videos.

I know, I know, I did a series for beginners around this time last year, but I'm going to be going about it in a different way, also some of those videos I made in my "Beginners Series" need updated because I've learned so much mored since last year about formulating.

For those of you who aren't beginners, don't worry, I'll still be posting more "advanced" recipes on my channel that obviously won't be a part of this series.

So you wanna Start Making Cosmetics

I think one of the most important things to keep in mind before you start your formulating journey is that this journey NEVER has an end. There is so much to know about the science of cosmetics that I guarantee you will never know it all. Especially since there are so many branches of cosmetics; Skincare products, Hair Care Products, & Makeup. I personally focus on skincare products, but I'm recently starting to branch into Hair Care, but that's besides the point. I think it is best to first decide which one you want to start with, and if I can weigh in on your decision I highly, highly recommended starting with skincare products. It's honestly the easiest in my opinion.

I wouldn't call this a "Casual" Hobby

Another thing I want you to keep in mind before starting your journey is that, I wouldn't really call this a "casual" hobby. There is so much to learn about the science of skincare. You need to learn about the actual chemistry behind your ingredients, what's compatible and what's not, What ingredients are active in specific ph's, what ingredients can't be used together, etc. You also need to have some knowledge on actual skincare itself; Skin types, skin conditions, ph, etc. To top it all off, you will be doing a lot of math as well. And last but not least, is creativity, which is my favorite part. You really need a creative mind in order to come up with new formulas. I always like to say that formulating cosmetics is a combination of Science, Math, & Creativity. Like I said, formulating isn't just something you can do "casually" you really need to do A LOT of experimenting and research. You also need lots of patience, you will have far more fails then successes. This hobby is all about trial and error. That's science for you.

Rewarding

Now, I will say, formulating cosmetics is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done in my life. It feels so good to finally master a recipe that you have had so many fails with. I can't express how much happier and healthier my skin is since I've started formulating my own products. It feels so good to be able to pick and choose what I'm putting in my products. I have learned so much about what my skin likes and what it hates and I'm continuously learning more and more about what ingredients my skin likes and hates. Even though this is a very hard hobby and it's not the easiest hobby to just pick up and start doing one day, it is definitely one of the most rewarding hobbies out there!

Expensive

It's a very expensive hobby! People ask me all the time if I think it is worth making my own skincare products. Yes, to me it is totally worth it, I don't have to spend 100's of dollars on cosmetics, but keep in mind, this is also my job, and I'm already buying all of these ingredients anyways. Starting your formulating journey is lot more expensive then just going out and buying all new products for your skincare routine. The actual value of a homemade product is actually cheaper then buying an already made product from the store, but the cost to actually start your formulating journey is much more expensive. You'll be buying lots of ingredients and tons of equipment. So my advice is to take it one step at a time. & in this series we will be going into these steps that way you can take your journey slowly so you aren't burning a whole in your pocket and also not burning a hole in your brain. I'm telling you, there is a lot to learn about formulating and I can't even tell you how many hours I have spent doing research. How many nights I've lost track of time and realized I've been sitting at my desk writing notes for 9 hours. How many dollars I've wasted on failed experiments. How many hours I've spend on failed experiments.

I'm not saying any of this stuff to scare you away from formulating cosmetics. I'm saying this stuff because it's true and I don't want you going into this hobby thinking everything is going to go smoothly, because it's not. Like I've said, this hobby is work and costs money, but it is so so rewarding and worth all the hard work in the end.

Where do I start?

Start here. This series for beginners will take you through what I believe is the best steps to take when starting your formulating journey. I wanted to start this series with this post here, to set the foundation on what to expect when formulating. So what's to come in this series? I'll give you a little overview on what I will be discussing in the next few videos.

• why you shouldn't make those pinterest skincare DIY's

• equipment & sanitation

• writing a cosmetic formula

• recipes that don't need a preservative

• preservatives

I have a lot more planned for this series, but I don't want to give it all away, just a sneak peak ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpDEUMWhzpw