When it comes to building a business, curiosity is key. It’s good to ask questions. As educators and business owners, we appreciate the kind of prospective students who take the time to make sure that they have all the facts, and can make the best, most informed decisions. They know that their money, and their time, is important! They’re smart and savvy, and they want to make sure that they are ready to take full advantage of everything the coursework offers.
Our best students are endlessly curious researchers just like you!
Before these students are ready to buy, they’re already eager to learn, and we love that.
We really appreciate having students who can see potential, who want to do the research, to really go deep into investigating the things you care about. An essential cornerstone of our work is having the drive and initiative to follow that curiosity out as far as it can lead.
In the time we’ve been offering our courses, we’ve received many questions from prospective students about how our courses work, what the differences are, and all of the little details to help set them up for success.
If you’ve been considering enrolling in one of our courses, but have some questions, read on!
Question One: How do I know this course is right for me?
Whether it’s a question of time investment or prior formulation experience, these are by far the most frequent types of questions we receive. And it makes sense why! Our students want to make sure that they are a fit for a specific course, and the course is a fit for them.
Students who are interested in formulating a wide range of their own skincare products, and even and developing their own business, often ask us whether the beginner’s Certificate in Making Natural Skincare Products or the intermediate Diploma in Natural Skincare Formulation is the fit for them.
The biggest differences between them are the breadth of the subjects covered, and the depth to which those subjects are explored. The Certificate is more of an introductory course, to help people get started, and show them the world of possibilities with natural ingredients. We provide 120+ recipes for you to follow. The Diploma, on the other hand, takes you from a blank sheet of paper to developing your own recipes, and into creating your own line of natural skincare products. For people who are ready to learn how to formulate like a pro, the Diploma is the best choice. You don’t have to do the beginner courses first, either; We take you through the whole process, step by step, so even if you’ve never made a product before, you’ll understand what goes into them, and why.
Whether you want to start a business, take your business to the next level or learn to formulate for your own enjoyment, The Diploma in Natural Skincare Formulation is for you. It provides an amazing opportunity to develop formulation skills, increase your understanding of skin health, function, and specific skin types, and build the knowledge necessary to build a brand that is precisely what you wish it to be.
Question Two: After completing the course, will I be able to formulate the products I want?
Yes! Anyone, regardless of prior formulation experience, will be able to start formulating products with our course, because we provide a proven framework to follow. We provide templates, guides and examples. You’ll dive right in, learning about which ingredients can be swapped in simple, starter formulas, and then, as your skills develop, you’ll go more in-depth with percentages and specialized ingredients.
Question Three: Will I really be able to start my own skincare business after completing the course?
The Diploma in Natural Skincare Formulation doesn’t just give you the knowledge to create safe, effective, and natural skincare products, it also gives you the skills you need to create products that customers will love, and a business that can grow and transform your whole potential. Using a combination of 80+ video classes, 28+ worksheets, 10+ ingredient workbooks, and 14 in-depth modules, you’ll explore how to define your unique products and brand values, how to decide what ‘natural’ means to you, and if you will formulate to a particular natural or organic standard. Not to mention how to set up your lab to make products safely and effectively, and remain in compliance with the regulations relevant to your country, state, or area.
You’ll learn about the skin itself—its function, layer-by-layer—and what you need to know to create products that hydrate, renew, and restore. You’ll investigate raw materials and ingredients: Emollients, occlusives, humectants, carrier oils, essential oils, preservatives, butters, and more! You will learn how to safely formulate creams and lotions, oils and serums, butters and balms, spa-style soaks, scrubs, and polishes, toners, spritzers, and mists. And you’ll learn how to safely package your products, understand what you need to know before you bring them to your customers.
From start to finish, from high-level business must-haves to hands-on product creation, the Diploma in Natural Skincare Formulation has set our students up to develop the products—and the businesses—they’ve always dreamed of making!
Question Four: Materials, ingredients, equipment… Do I need to buy a bunch of things to start the class?
Some of our students worry that they need the highest-grade lab setup to even begin formulating professional-grade products, but it’s simply not true. We’ll take you through the steps to set up a safe beginner’s workspace that complies with good manufacturing practices, without breaking the bank.
You will begin by setting up your own small-scale lab at home, and learn about equipment options that are cost-effective and yet still functional and safe. And you’ll also learn how to scale your lab, and your products, up to a higher scale, when you’re ready to start making larger batches.
When it comes to ingredients, again, you don’t need to go all-out and buy a bunch of expensive ingredients when you start learning. Easily-accessible carrier oils, butters, and other ingredients will form the backbone of your first formulations, and then you’ll be able to customize them for various skin types and concerns as your skill level grows. You’ll be provided with an ingredient list, as well as a list of suppliers we trust to provide high quality, yet affordable ingredients.
More importantly, by following our course, you’ll learn how to formulate on paper before you even begin working with those expensive ingredients, so your waste will be less, because you’ll be much more informed. Save money and time by avoiding costly waste as you test and try again and again with other recipes online. Learn how to formulate the right way, right from the start.
Question Five: Okay, but what makes your course different?
The Diploma in Natural Skincare Formulation is a comprehensive, start-to-finish course that covers everything you need to know to begin formulating a range of natural products and developing your business, so you can start creating straightaway. We cover everything from ingredients to skin science to cosmetic regulations to packaging and product safety under one umbrella course.
If you’ve spent any time online researching how to create skincare products, or even just looking up recipes, you’ll know that there is a lot of information out there. Some great books and resources, and some that are… not great.
Our coursework has been developed by a team which includes a professional Cosmetic Scientist and a Safety Assessor, members of the Society for Cosmetic Scientists and a professional aromatherapist. If you’re really serious about skincare, or want to start your own skincare business, then you know that you shouldn’t have to pick and choose, sign up for multiple courses, wait for enrollment and go at someone else’s pace. Your time is valuable.
Also, your vision for your products is just as important. Our coursework begins with an exploration of your vision, your goals, and defining what makes you unique. Many of our students are driven to create their own products using organic ingredients, but we also recognize that sometimes, that just isn’t possible, or your highest priority. We include information about sourcing ingredients which are fair trade, cruelty-free, ethical, sustainable, vegan, or even local to you!
From beginners with a big dream, to students who already have some formulation or business experience going into it. We truly believe our course has the right formulation of science, creativity, business, and inspiration to help each of our students learn and meet their goals.
Question Six: What if I’ve never done an online course before?
Online courses, or e-courses, are the perfect solution for students who are seeking to learn at their own pace, in the comfort of their own home. The in-depth videos allow you to watch and re-watch and re-re-watch as often as you like—the course is available to you for three years, and you can even choose to renew!—pausing, rewinding, and working hands-on so you can learn in precisely your own learning style.
No two people learn the same way. Which is great, because no two people will make exactly the same product, or dream of exactly the same business. So online courses really allow you to work your way. They’re also accessible via computer, phone, or tablet.
If you’ve never enrolled in an online course, you’ll find the process is really simple. Anyone who can create a username and password for an online site can do it. As soon as you make your payment, you receive instant access to your course. You can log into the classroom as many times as you wish, and with our useful course tracking system you’ll know exactly where you finished last time and where to start this time.
The classes and videos are conducted in English, but our students come from all around the world. So long as the website itself is accessible to you, then the course will be available to you, no matter where you’re located. (We even have students who access a course through their local libraries!)
The technology is easy to use. We want you to feel confident when you enroll so you can create an account for our online classroom and view a sample of the course. You can do that right here!
Question Seven: What’s the time commitment for your class?
Because everyone works at their own pace, different people will complete the course at different speeds. It’s not a race! We estimate our students typically take between 70 and 100 hours to complete the course, but every student is different, and every student begins with differing levels of knowledge.
If you can’t start right away, that’s okay; Life happens. And you have three entire years to work on the courses, and you can go at whatever pace suits you, and still learn everything you need to.
Plus, all of the supporting materials, worksheets and workbooks can be saved to your computer, so you can keep them forever!
Question Eight: What if I need help?
Students are supported by two formulation tutors who have wide-ranging formulation experience, and experience of creating products to sell in both Europe and the USA. Our tutors have started brands from scratch, taking products from concept to the shelf, so they understand the journey the students are on. They have experience working as formulation consultants and contract manufacturers, too. So you are supported by an excellent team.
When you sign up to the course, you’ll also get to join our private online student community (hosted via Facebook) to meet and discuss with other students, who have lots of knowledge, expertise and ideas to share.Our student community is lively and supportive, a great way to connect with students all over the world, as well as networking with skincare entrepreneurs in your own country.
After all of this, our students usually have just one more question for us: Where can I go to sign up? The answer is…here!
