Get a science degree. Unless you have a relative who started the company, you will need a college degree in science since most cosmetic firms require it. Preferred ones include degrees in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering. However, plenty of scientists in our industry have Biology, Microbiology, and even Physics degrees. The specific college or Uni that you attend is less important than which degree you received.

Consider getting an advanced degree. True, a 4-year college degree is all you need, but you can improve your chances of breaking into cosmetics by getting an advanced degree. Your involvement with the SCS is a great start in the UK. In the United States, there are only a few advanced degrees offered. These include places like the University of Cincinnati, St. Johns University, Rutgers University, University of Southern California, etc. Check the colleges Pharmacy departments for more information. You can contact the Society of Cosmetic Chemists (SCC) for a complete list. In addition to getting something good for putting on your resume, youll get invaluable experience making cosmetic products & meet some great people.

Find the companies where youd like to work. This industry has thousands of companies that employ cosmetic chemists. Where do you find them? If you like, internet searches work, but you can also search trade magazines like Happi or GCI. In GCI, your search can be done by region of the US or world. Of course, you can also look at what company makes a product you like and Google their contact information to inquire about jobs.

Figure out what job you want. Speaking of jobs, many different different ones exist in the cosmetic industry for scientists. If you actually want to make formulas, youll want a formulating job. People who enjoyed experiments in Organic Chemistry might like these jobs. If you were more interested in Analytical Chemistry than youll want to find a job in an analytical lab. You can also find jobs in microbiology, perfumery, and quality control. For chemical engineers, your job search can lead you to process engineering which requires you to figure out how you might scale 1kg batches up to 10,000 kg tanks. Finally, if all else fails you can get a sales job. Raw material suppliers always look for people with technical backgrounds who can sell product. Personally, I think formulating jobs rule!

Find a temporary assignment. If it is too difficult to break directly into the industry, you might try finding a job through a temp agency. These companies can place you at big cosmetic companies like P&G or Unilever for a short or longer term assignment. Many people get hired on permanently at companies after starting as a temp.

Network with other cosmetic chemists. If you really want to step ahead of the other cosmetic science job seekers, strike up relationships with other scientists that already work on cosmetics. The most popular US association is the SCC and in the UK it is the SCS. For other countries you can contact the IFSCC to find out your local organization. The SCC has chapters throughout the US and you can often visit a monthly meeting for free. There you can meet the most famous cosmetic chemist. If you prefer computers, look on LinkedIn, Facebook or MySpace for chemists who list their affiliation. You can even join our Beauty Brains Forum and get connected with other cosmetic chemists.

Cosmetic science is a rewarding career which enables you to create and use almost any cosmetic or personal care product you want. Better living through chemistry.

Laboratory Chemist.

Get a masters degree in chemistry.

The job is called a "Perfumer" or nicknamed "Nez", which comes from the French word for nose. A degree is not required but it is certainly helpful. Chemistry, with minor in botany. Here are a couple of links so you may research the background of the job. http://perfumemaker.blogspot.com/ and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfume#The¦ and

http://www.edu.pe.ca/kish/Grassroots/che¦ and here is a link for a world famous Fragrance school. http://www.givaudan.com/webcom/v/index.j¦

Best wishes

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