Diploma in Formulating with Natural Surfactants
Learn to formulate a wide range of cleansing and foaming products with natural and organic surfactants.
Create your own gentle, natural face washes, body washes, hand washes, bubble bath, shower foam and foaming cleansers.
Do you find many cleansing products too harsh, drying or irritating on your skin – products like hand wash and foaming facial cleansers?
Would you like to create a range of gentle, natural foaming cleansing products and further your formulation skills?
Are you ready to master a new area of cosmetic formulation by learning from professionals who can simplify the science of surfactants for you?
Introducing our accredited Diploma in Formulating with Natural Surfactants
Helping you ditch products that dry your skin and instead create your own effective and mild cleansing products for the face, body and hands.
In this comprehensive course, you'll gain the skills and knowledge to:
- Avoid harsh sulfates like SLS and discover a variety of gentle, natural surfactants, allowing you to customize your skincare routine with products that are mild, cost-effective and environmentally friendly.
- Become confident with the science of surfactants and open up a new area of cosmetic formulation.
- Create your own complete range of foaming cleansing products tailored to different skin types.
- Plus, receive expert guidance and support from experienced cosmetic scientists and chemists.
Ready to expand your formulation skills? Get started today!
Find out more
To work with surfactants successfully, you need to understand their charge, compatibility and active matter.
We’ll simplify what can seem a complex subject and teach you everything you need to know to successfully work with versatile, natural surfactants to create a wide range of cleansing and foaming products.
Put yourself in control of the ingredients you use by learning how to avoid harsh, undesirable chemicals like SLS and instead select natural surfactants, moisturizing humectants and nourishing conditioning ingredients for your formulations.
Just imagine how good it would feel if you could:
Stop struggling with commercial products that strip your skin
Instead, learn to formulate a wide range of gentle cleansing products tailored to your skin’s needs.
Take a shortcut to success
Quickly get to grips with an important field of cosmetic science. Save time and costly mistakes by following a proven framework that helps you succeed at formulating with surfactants – the first time.
Add exciting new skincare products to your collection
Create exceptional quality, unique natural and organic skincare products, for yourself or to add to your skincare brand, at a fraction of the price of the big brands.
Learn to formulate a complete range of cleansing and foaming products:
Facial cleansers
- Face washes for different skin types
- Foaming facial cleansers for different skin types
Body wash
- Body wash/shower gel
- Shower mousse
Hand and bath products
- Hand wash
- Bubble bath
Your journey on the Diploma in Formulating with Natural Surfactants
Surfactant science
Learn all the essential theory of surfactant science
Natural surfactants
Discover beneficial natural surfactants
Active matter
Calculate active matter in your formulations
Skin type
Formulate for different skin types
Bubble bath
Make a range of luxurious bubble baths
Hand wash
Develop cleansing hand washes with COSMOS-permitted ingredients
Mousses & foaming
Formulate unique products for use in foamer bottles
Face & body
Create a range of surfactant-based face and body washes
Surfactant science
Learn all the essential theory of surfactant science
Natural surfactants
Discover beneficial natural surfactants
Active matter
Calculate active matter in your formulations
Skin type
Formulate for different skin types
Face & body
Create a range of surfactant-based face and body washes
Mousses & foaming
Formulate unique products for use in foamer bottles
Hand wash
Develop cleansing hand washes with COSMOS-permitted ingredients
Bubble bath
Make a range of luxurious bubble baths
Meet your instructors and tutors
Learn from and be supported by cosmetic scientists and professional formulators.
Tina Svetek
Tina is a cosmetic formulator, formulation consultant and safety assessor, who leads new product development for natural skincare and wellness brands.
Dr Nicole Voster
Nicole is a cosmetic formulation consultant and senior lecturer with extensive experience teaching chemistry and cosmetic formulation at South African universities and aiding brands in new product development.
Gail Després
Gail is an award-winning entrepreneur and author of the A-Z of Natural Cosmetic Formulation. After creating her natural skincare brand, Gail moved into education, founding the School of Natural Skincare in 2010.
Gareth Després
Gareth qualified as a certified aromatherapist in 2010 and enriches the content of our online courses with his specialist knowledge of essential oils.
Is the Diploma in Formulating with Natural Surfactants right for me?
This course is perfect for…
Beginners
Skincare enthusiasts passionate about natural and organic skincare
Branch out into creating a new type of cosmetic product by following a step-by-step process.
Read more
You’ve made some skincare products already and you’re keen to get to grips with a new area of cosmetic science.
Intermediate
Formulators ready to add to their skillset
Read more
Master new, ingredients and techniques to extend your product range aligned to your values and interests.
Entrepreneur
Beauty brand owners
Take the leap and create a range of gentle cleansing products for the face, body and hands.
Read more
It’s time to take your brand to the next level and provide your customers with a stunning range of natural and organic cleansing products.
Student testimonials
The attention to detail and student safety is amazing.
- Ami Patterson,
- USA
I’ve been doing DIY for years but often struggled with inconsistent results. Since joining, I’ve gained confidence in my abilities and learned how to avoid past mistakes. I love getting back into a lab setting (even if it’s my kitchen!) and experimenting with safe, effective products for my family.
- Ami Patterson,
- USA
The course provided all the essential information and resources I needed.
- Brianna Scranton,
- USA
I took the Diploma in Formulating with Natural Surfactants course to learn how to formulate surfactants, unsure of the necessary active matter. Now, I confidently calculate active matter and formulate surfactants with ease. I love this program and find it incredibly useful!
- Brianna Scranton,
- USA
Why learn to formulate your own surfactant-based products?
Surfactants are versatile. With a small selection of surfactants you can formulate a wide range of cleansing products for the face, body and hands.
Simple to make. Most surfactant-based products are easy to make; no complex manufacturing method is required.
Cost-effective. Many surfactants are relatively inexpensive to buy, allowing you to save a lot of money compared to buying natural and organic products.
Formulate gentle products suitable for natural/organic certification. Many commercial surfactant-based products are harsh and drying on the skin. Learn how to make yours gentle and non-drying.
Want to try before you buy?
Sample a selection of our course material inside our online classroom.
How does the Diploma in Formulating with Natural Surfactants work?
Our proven system for teaching formulation skills, developed over more than a decade of training provision, means when you study with us, you’ll gain the knowledge, skills, and support to succeed at formulating.
Knowledge
You don’t need a scientific background; our courses cover everything you need to know.
Skills
We start with more straightforward products and progress to the more complex or challenging ones so you can build your skills and confidence.
Support
You can rest assured that you are learning from qualified and experienced professionals and are not misled by inaccurate, poor-quality and unsafe information often found online.
We’ll teach you to formulate by providing the following resources for each type of product:
More than just a course, our Diploma in Formulating with Natural Surfactants includes the support and community you need to truly thrive in your formulating journey.
You’ll receive:
5 in-depth modules accompanied by detailed downloadable textbooks with step-by-step instructions and beautiful photographs.
Full HD video classes including step-by-step product making demonstrations.
18 tried-and-tested formulation examples to practice with.
Join our supportive, vibrant community of like-minded students and graduates across the world.
Easy-to-use online classroom, quizzes, and activities.
Downloadable, fillable formulation worksheets for each type of product.
Assignments marked personally and a course completion certificate.
Active matter calculator to help you with your calculations.
Be supported by cosmetic scientists
Get your questions answered
each week in our dedicated Tutor Q&A
Expand your understanding
with our monthly Formulators Forum, a LIVE learning and discussion session on Zoom
Have your end-of-course assignments personally marked
by our cosmetic scientists
Plus
Receive an invitation to join our private student and graduate online community.
Connect with like-minded formulators around the world inside our friendly student community. It’s the perfect place to discuss, support and inspire each other.
Student testimonials
Now, I no longer buy products but instead I make the best ones myself!
- Memory Ncube,
- USA
I chose the Diploma in Formulating with Natural Surfactants because I knew your program was top-notch. The course taught me how to select the right surfactants and calculate active matter. I especially enjoyed formulating products I love. Thank you, School, for being the best!
- Memory Ncube,
- USA
Enjoy learning anytime, anywhere
All our training is completed through our easy-to-use online classroom.
Study from anywhere in the world at your own pace.
Why study with the
School of Natural Skincare?
Be part of our accredited, globally acclaimed, award-winning online formulation school that’s seen over 25,000 students from 150 countries enjoy mastering the art, science, and creativity of making natural and organic skincare.
Learn from and be supported by professional cosmetic scientists.
Practice with our tried-and-tested formulations.
Formulate your way – natural, organic, vegan, sustainable – and customized to your skin type, tone and concerns.
Multi-award winning and accredited school, established in 2010.
Study with us for your own enjoyment and learning or to create a beauty brand.
Study at a pace that fits your lifestyle.
96% of our students would recommend a course to others.
Realize your dreams of formulating with natural surfactants like a pro.
Featured in
Where are our graduates now?
For many of our students, their ultimate goal when studying with us is to start their own beauty brand.
Here are some of our graduates who have gone on to become beauty entrepreneurs across the world. If this is what you aspire to, we can’t wait to see your story here one day soon.
How Graduate Stephanie Went From Years of Dabbling In Her Kitchen To Launching Her Brand Coco-Bare
Empowering Women Through Natural Beauty: Flora Ndukwe’s Vision for Her Brand, Flolumia
Science, nature and community: Below the surface of the Natural Cosmetic Formulation Club
A Business Grown from a Passion for Natural Beauty
How to create the best toxin-free skincare products for yourself and your customers
How One Natural Beauty Entrepreneur Launched Her Dream Business with School of Natural Skincare
The Diploma in Formulating with Natural Surfactants in detail
What you'll achieve:
Formulate your own professional range of surfactant-based cleansing products for different skin types using natural, organic and/or vegan ingredients.
Understand the science of surfactants. Compare and contrast anionic, non-ionic, cationic and amphoteric surfactants, and identify primary and secondary surfactants in a cosmetic formula.
Choose naturally derived surfactants with confidence and substitute surfactants in a formula.
Understand the importance of active matter and apply this knowledge in calculating the active matter of a cosmetic formula.
Work with a variety of water soluble ingredients to add additional benefits to your formulation including botanical extracts, humectants, refatting agents, preservatives, pH adjusters, thickeners and solubilizers.
What you need to know:
Level
Beginners (with some experience) to intermediate.
Schedule
Self-paced course with on demand lessons. Study at a time that suits you.
Study time
Approximately 30-70 hours, including hands-on product making time. Most students complete the course within three to six months.
Course access
18 months. This can be extended for a small fee.
Prerequisites
None. You’ll need the internet and a computer or tablet to access our online classroom.
When can I start?
Enrollment is open all year round, and you can begin the course as soon as you’re ready.
What you’ll study:
Formulating 101
Master the fundamentals of cosmetic formulation to set you up for success.
Read more
This module includes:
- How to write a professional formula and the essential information to include.
- Calculating batch sizes.
- Health, safety and best practice.
- Equipment for your home lab.
- Ingredient types and classification.
- Types of cosmetic formula.
- Supplier list.
- Researching and substituting ingredients.
Module 1: The Science of Surfactants
Learn all of the essential theory needed to make a wide range of surfactant-based products and discover a wide range of naturally derived surfactant options, many of which are suitable for organic formulations.
Read more
What you will learn:
- Science of surfactants: Understand the basics of surfactants, their structure, functions, and hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB).
- Surfactant types: Explore the four classes of surfactants, their compatibility, and how to combine them for optimal cleansing, gentleness, and foam.
- Natural surfactants: Discover various natural surfactants, their certifications, characteristics, and sourcing options.
- Surfactant active Matter: Learn to calculate and adjust the active matter in formulas to ensure appropriate cleansing strength and gentleness.
Module 2: Formulating Surfactant-based Face and Body Washes
In this module, we take an in-depth look at how to formulate face and body washes with natural surfactants.
Read more
What you will learn:
- The typical structure of a face and body wash formula.
- The ingredients to use and why.
- How to make surfactant-based products more moisturizing and hydrating.
- How to add fragrance or change the appearance of the product.
- The appropriate active matter for different surfactant-based products.
- How to formulate for different skin types.
- The manufacturing method and suitable packaging choices.
- How to formulate your own products using our guidelines, templates and worksheets.
Module 3: Face and Body Wash Formulas
Formulate a range of face washes, body washes and shower gels for different skin types. Practice making our example formulations and then formulate your own using our guidelines, templates and worksheets.
Read more
What you will learn:
- How to combine different surfactants.
- How to add other complementary ingredients such as humectants and extracts.
- How to adjust the active matter to formulate products suited for dry skin and oily skin.
- How to formulate your own products using our guidelines, templates and worksheets.
Receive example formulations for Lemon and Papaya Body Wash, Pomegranate and Geranium Face Wash for Oily Skin and Pomegranate and Geranium Face Wash for Dry Skin.
View all modules
Module 4: Foaming Cleanser and Shower Foam Formulas
Foaming cleansers and shower foams create a fun sensory experience for the user as they are liquid in the bottle and magically turn into foam when dispensed! Practice making our example formulations and then formulate your own using our guidelines, templates and worksheets.
Read more
What you will learn:
- How to formulate a range of gentle, foaming cleansers and shower foams for different skin types.
- How to combine different surfactants, add other complementary ingredients such as humectants, skin conditioning agents and extracts.
- How to adjust the active matter to formulate products suited for dry skin and oily skin.
- How to formulate your own products using our guidelines, templates and worksheets.
Receive example formulations for Shower Foam/Mousse, Bergamot Foaming Cleanser for Oily Skin and Cucumber and Lavender Foaming Cleanser for Dry Skin.
Module 5: Hand Wash and Bubble Bath Formulas
Formulate a range of gentle hand washes and luxurious, bubbly bubble baths! Practice making our example formulations and then formulate your own using our guidelines, templates and worksheets.
Read more
What you will learn:
- How to combine different surfactants.
- How to add other complementary ingredients such as humectants, skin conditioning agents and extracts.
- How to adjust the active matter to vary the properties of your formula.
- How to reverse formulate using a benchmark product.
- How to formulate your own products using our guidelines, templates and worksheets.
Receive example formulations for Orange and Neroli Hand Wash, Manuka and Lemon Tea Tree Hand Wash, Honey and Lemon Bubble Bath and Lavender Bubble Bath.
Plus
Enjoy our student loyalty rewards
10% off
your next course
Enjoy a student discount when you continue your studies with us. What will you choose next? High-performance serums, color cosmetics, haircare, soap? So many exciting topics to choose from!
A free month
in the Club
Towards the end of your studies we’ll invite you to join us for a free month in the Natural Cosmetic Formulation Club where you can enjoy a complimentary class or two on a subject of your choice.
Students become eligible for student loyalty rewards once their enrollment fee has been paid in full.
10% discount can be used on pay in full courses and cannot be applied to programs, payment plans or in conjunction with any other offers.
Ready to formulate with natural surfactants?
Sign up to the
Diploma in Formulating with Natural Surfactants
Here’s what you get:
- Online course: Value $500
- Tutor support: Value $500
- Community membership: Value $500
Total value:
$1500+
All included
Enroll now for just:
It’s easy to get started
Pay in full
Instant access to the
whole course for
US $397
Access the entire course immediately.
Plus 18 months’ course access inside our Natural Cosmetic Formulation Club.
We accept all major debit and credit cards and Paypal
By joining the course you accept our terms and conditions found here.
Hear what students are saying
I’m still early in the course but didn’t want to wait to give a five-star review!
- Karen Haq,
- USA
I was a little hesitant to dive in because there are so many training programs that don’t fit the bill. I was pleasantly surprised by the ease of introduction, and the clarity of topics that can be intimidating to those of us without professional training in skincare formulation.
- Karen Haq,
- USA
Top FAQs
Yes! The Diploma in Formulating with Natural Surfactants is accredited by the CPD (Continuing Professional Development) Certification Service. You can read more about our accreditations here.
Yes! The course is hosted inside an easy-to-use online classroom. It is designed to be taken at home from anywhere in the world. The products we make meet global quality and safety standards. We’ll provide information on ingredient suppliers in many different countries and will guide you to the relevant cosmetic regulations in many countries around the world, too. We have students in over 150 countries so you’ll be joining a thriving global community.
We are an international school with students worldwide. US dollars are the most widely recognized and accepted currency. You can check the exchange rate for your local currency using exchange rate sites such as xe.com. Either your bank or PayPal will exchange the enrollment fee for your local currency when you join.
At the end of the course, there are several assignments for you to complete and submit to us to be marked personally by our cosmetic chemists. They will provide personalized feedback and guidance if any corrections are needed. Your end-of-course certificate will be issued upon successful completion, and you will be the proud holder of our Diploma in Formulating with Natural Surfactants!
You have access to the course within our Natural Cosmetic Formulation Club for 18 months, so have plenty of time to study. You can download the course textbooks for lifetime access. You can renew your course enrollment for a small fee, which will also give you additional time to complete your assignments, further access to the Tutor Q&A and any updates to the course made during this time.
The course is a self-study, self-paced course, so you can study at a time that suits you and complete the course as quickly or slowly as you wish. The lessons are available for you at any time.
To enhance your learning, we provide tutor-led live learning sessions throughout the year, which are optional to attend. You’ll receive plenty of advance notice about when these are happening, and if you can’t attend live, you can enjoy the recording at a convenient time.
This course is most suitable for people with some prior experience of making or formulating skincare products. If you are a complete beginner we recommend taking our Certificate in Making Natural Skincare Products or our Diploma in Natural Skincare Formulation first.
No, formulating shampoos is not covered in our Diploma in Formulating with Natural Surfactants. Shampoos are surfactant-based products that also require specialist knowledge of the hair and scalp to successfully formulate, which is why we teach how to formulate shampoos in our Diploma in Natural Haircare Formulation.
Our Diploma in Formulating with Natural Surfactants focuses on formulating liquid products. If you are interested in formulating solid surfactant-based products you can do this on our Diploma in Zero Waste Skincare and Haircare Formulation. If you don’t wish to study the whole course, you can take modules of your choice inside our Natural Cosmetic Formulation Club.
Students enrolled on our Diploma in Natural Skincare Formulation receive Formulating Face and Body Washes with Natural Surfactants as a bonus class. This class contains the first three modules of the Diploma in Formulating with Natural Surfactants – Module 1: The Science of Surfactants, Module 2: Formulating Surfactant-based Face and Body Washes and Module 3: Face and Body Wash Formulas.
If you wish to continue your studies and complete the rest of the course – Module 4: Foaming Cleanser and Shower Foam Formulas, Module 5: Hand Wash and Bubble Bath Formulas – and submit your assignments to be eligible for your certificate of completion, then you can continue with these modules inside our Natural Cosmetic Formulation Club.
We are proud to have a team of qualified, experienced, professional cosmetic scientists supporting our students. They are here to help you with questions or doubts about ingredients, formulas, methods and guidelines pertaining to your specific course. You can ask them your questions in our Tutor Q&A, hosted on our online platform.
It typically takes students 30-70 hours to complete the Diploma in Formulating with Natural Surfactants. The amount of time it will take you will depend on how much practical formulating you choose to do, so you may wish to spend more or less time than this. Most students complete the course within three to six months. As it is a self-paced course, you can complete it at a speed that suits your schedule.
Various formats are used, including comprehensive and beautifully designed course textbooks (provided as PDFs), video demonstrations and activities.
To get started, you can use some basic kitchen equipment that you use solely for the purpose of cosmetic making. Here is a list of the equipment that you should consider using:
- Protective clothing.
- A water bath or hot plate for a source of heat.
- Heat-proof glass lab beakers.
- Two thermometers.
- A stick blender (immersion blender).
- Digital scales.
- Pipettes/spoons/spatulas.
- pH strips (or meter).
- Sufficient packaging.
We have a blog article and video that you may find useful on the equipment you need to get started: The equipment you need for making natural skincare products at home.
As part of the course, you receive a comprehensive global supplier list featuring hundreds of cosmetic suppliers, many of which deliver internationally.
We also have a smaller supplier list on our website you might want to look at in the meantime: Recommended cosmetic raw material suppliers
The majority of ingredients used are available in most countries around the world. In some cases, if you wish to use specialist ingredients, you may need to order from overseas suppliers.
Explore our articles
Want to try before you buy?
Sample a selection of our course material inside our online classroom.
Formulate professional quality surfactant-based foaming, cleansing products, customized to different skin types.