Advanced Diploma in Organic Cosmetic Science
This online cosmetic science course is for formulators who want to confidently experiment, trial new ingredients, and innovate advanced organic cosmetics.
Suitable for: Formulators with experience
Pre-requisites: Checklist
Time: 130 study hours
Course Modules: 8
Coursework: Self-study + tutor graded
Cost: £1997 (British Pounds)
Next enrolment period: 10 - 15 July 2025
Enrolment opens in:
Enrolment closes in:
Look at what you’ll learn during the course:
Recreate any cosmetic product
Master the art of reverse formulation and learn how to deconstruct your favourite skincare or haircare products. Understand how they’re made – then improve them. By the end of our cosmetic science course, you’ll be confidently recreating and elevating professional formulations using natural ingredients.
Use high-performance actives
Explore the full potential of exciting cosmetic actives like vitamin C, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, alpha-hydroxy acids, and retinol alternatives. Learn how and when to use them, how to build them into your formulas, and how to create effective, luxurious skincare or haircare that performs.
Experiment with confidence
Gain the skills to run structured experiments and test new ingredients, formulation techniques, and product formats. Use our study project methodology to refine your ideas, trial innovations, and perfect your organic cosmetic formulas with purpose.
Research ingredients in-depth
Stop second-guessing your formulation choices. Learn how to critically research your cosmetic ingredients – both the ones already in your lab and new ones you’re excited to try. The research tools in our cosmetic science course will help you work smarter and select the right ingredients with confidence.
Natural cosmetic preservation
Preservation no longer needs to feel overwhelming. Use our checklists, flow charts and decision tools to confidently select and work with a large range of naturally derived preservatives that keep your formulations safe and stable – even in complex, water-based products.
Cosmetic stability testing
Learn how to test your formulations properly before they go to market. We guide you through 15 in-house stability tests you can run at home, plus teach you when and how to work with external labs. No more guesswork – just solid, confident formulation.
Why enrol with Formula Botanica?
This cosmetic science course is for you if:
Wendee, Singapore
I have just completed my course in Advanced Diploma in Organic Cosmetic Science and am happy to say that my skills as a formulator have increased tremendously from this one course.
Your learning pathway
Our courses are designed to support you at every stage, whether you’re just starting out or ready to launch a brand.
Step 1
Formulator
Begin with our foundation Diplomas in Organic Skincare or Haircare Formulation to learn how to formulate.
Step 2
Innovator
Move on to the Advanced Diploma to become an innovator, experimenting and refining high-performance formulations.
Step 3
Entrepreneur
You can take our Business Diploma at any point, either alongside your formulation studies or once you’re ready to build and grow your brand.
Wherever you are, we’ll help you take the next step.
30 Lessons
Learn directly from the Formula Botanica team with our professional videos and course lectures.
Fun Online Games
Play games to help you learn how to reinforce the learning outcomes for your course.
18 Experiments
Follow our structured study projects to test ingredients and techniques.
Tutor Support
Speak directly to a tutor in our private “Ask the Tutor” forum for students.
Sequential Learning
Unlock new modules as you work through the course sequentially to enforce learning points.
Graded Coursework
Receive expert graded feedback to help you make your formulations safe, stable and sellable.
Module 1
Introduction to advanced formulation
Start our organic cosmetic science course by marking your transition from formulator to innovator. You’ll explore what it means to formulate at a more advanced level, moving beyond basic formulations, and develop the mindset, skills and confidence to push your work further in your home lab.
You’ll also be introduced to formulation study projects, the core methodology of the course. These structured experiments help you trial new ingredients, test techniques, analyse results and refine your formulations using a clear, scientific process.
Module 1 Lesson 1
Introduction to advanced formulation
- Explore how this course will stretch your mindset, skills and creativity
- Learn how advanced formulators experiment, troubleshoot and think critically
- Discover the role of reverse formulation as a tool for innovation
- Sign the advanced formulator checklist to get started with the right mindset
Module 1 Lesson 2
Introduction to study projects
- Learn how to run structured formulation experiments using our study project method
- Understand how to test variables methodically and analyse your results
- Build the confidence to trial new ingredients and techniques
- Prepare to design your own study projects later in the course
Module 2
Setting up an advanced lab
This module teaches you how to set up and run your lab like a professional. You’ll learn how to work to GMP standards, manage your equipment, and plan the full product development process – from early prototypes through to production.
You’ll explore how professional formulators trial and scale formulations using structured experiments, and apply the same methods to your own study projects. We’ll also take you behind the scenes of a cosmetic manufacturing facility, showing you how to adapt professional workflows to your home lab with confidence and precision.
Module 2 Lesson 1
Setting up a professional lab
- Design a safe and efficient lab space tailored for cosmetic formulation
- Understand how lab layout affects workflow, hygiene and consistency
- Learn how to organise your tools, ingredients and documentation like a pro
- Bonus: watch an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour in a cosmetics factory
Module 2 Lesson 2
Advanced Equipment
- Explore professional lab equipment and its role in formulation success
- Learn how to scale your setup with mixers, stirrers, heaters and homogenisers
- Study how to calibrate your equipment
- Choose the right tools for your budget, batch size and formulation type
Module 2 Lesson 3
Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)
- Understand what Good Manufacturing Practice means in a cosmetic context
- Learn practical ways to meet GMP standards in a small or home lab
- Study the 12 steps of cosmetic GMP
- Create documentation and workflows that align with industry expectations
Module 2 Lesson 4
Cosmetic prototyping
- Learn how to turn a product concept into a functional lab prototype
- Refine each version through testing and iteration, not guesswork
- Learn how to design knockout experiments for your formulations
- Study our 3-phase framework to design original, scalable cosmetics
Module 2 Lesson 5
Scaling up production
- Transition from small lab batches to pilot and production-scale manufacturing
- Solve common problems with texture, scent and stability at scale
- Maintain consistency, manage equipment, and follow Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) through every step
Tamara, Malta
I learnt so much invaluable knowledge from this course and utterly enjoyed it too! I would highly recommend this Formula Botanica course to anyone.
Module 3
Advanced ingredient research
Module 3 teaches you how to think like a cosmetic scientist. If you’ve ever felt unsure about trying a new ingredient or questioned whether supplier data is reliable, this is where that changes. You’ll learn how to assess technical documents, understand ingredient function and behaviour, and get to grips with the chemistry behind natural cosmetic ingredients so you can work with them more effectively.
You’ll also gain the skills to read and interpret scientific studies, helping you separate fact from marketing claims. By the end of the module, you’ll be able to research any ingredient, familiar or new, and decide for yourself how and when to use it in a formula.
Module 3 Lesson 1
Cosmetic ingredient categories
- Learn how to identify and classify ingredients based on their role in a formula
- Understand how ingredient chemistry affects function, performance and compatibility
- Explore key categories such as emulsifiers, surfactants, emollients and humectants
- Gain confidence in selecting the right ingredients for your formulation goals
Module 3 Lesson 2
The chemistry of cosmetic ingredients
- Begin exploring cosmetic chemistry in a clear, accessible way
- Learn the roles different ingredients play in a formula
- Understand how basic chemical structure affects ingredient behaviour
- Discover how ingredient chemistry influences texture, stability and performance
Module 3 Lesson 3
INCI names
- Learn how to decode what INCI names really reveal (and what they don’t)
- Understand how to read technical documents with clarity
- Learn how to assess whether an ingredient is a good fit for your formulation
- Spot gaps or inconsistencies in supplier information before you order anything
Module 3 Lesson 4
Experimenting with new ingredients
- Understand the different types of scientific research and how they apply to cosmetics
- Learn how to read and interpret research papers with confidence
- Develop a step-by-step process for researching ingredients in depth
- Start thinking like a scientist when selecting and assessing new ingredients
- Bonus: Advanced Ingredient Research Form template
Module 4
Advanced formulation skills
In Module 4 of our cosmetic science course, you’ll learn how to design more advanced organic skincare and haircare. Each lesson breaks down the science of different ingredient categories, whether you’re working with oils, water, surfactants or emulsifiers, so you can understand exactly how they behave, interact and affect your finished product. You’ll explore how to adjust viscosity and texture, troubleshoot stability issues and refine your techniques.
We’ll guide you through this step by step using real formulations and hands-on study projects. You’ll learn how to think like a professional formulator, with the skills to troubleshoot, customise and innovate. This is where you start experimenting and where your formulations start to become exceptional.
Module 4 Lesson 1
Advanced anhydrous formulations
- Explore the chemistry and function of carrier oils, butters and oil-soluble ingredients
- Learn how to adjust the viscosity and sensorial feel of anhydrous formulations
- Understand how to stabilise oil-based products and prevent common issues
- Study projects: Complete 3 experiments on emollients, fatty thickeners and cooling techniques to see how ingredient chemistry influences texture, stability and performance in organic anhydrous formulations
Module 4 Lesson 2
Advanced aqueous formulations
- Explore the chemistry and function of humectants
- Learn how to adjust the viscosity and sensorial feel of aqueous formulations
- Understand how to stabilise aqueous products and prevent common issues
- Study projects: Complete 3 experiments on polyol humectants, gum hydration and gum blending to understand how ingredient chemistry affects sensory feel, stability and performance in aqueous formulations
Module 4 Lesson 3
Advanced cleansing formulations
- Explore the chemistry and function of surfactants
- Learn how to adjust the viscosity and sensorial feel of cleansing formulations
- Understand how to stabilise cleansing formulations and prevent common issues
- Study projects: Complete 3 experiments exploring how surfactant selection, blending and thickening agents influence the foam, texture, stability and overall performance of organic cleansing formulations
Module 4 Lesson 4
Advanced emulsions
- Explore the chemistry and function of emulsifiers
- Learn how to adjust the viscosity and sensorial feel of emulsions
- Understand how to stabilise emulsions and prevent common issues
- Study projects: Complete 3 experiments on co-emulsifiers and emulsification technique to analyse texture, stability and performance in organic emulsions
Module 5
High-performance ingredients
Module 5 is where it gets really exciting. This is your essential reference for the most in demand ingredients in organic skincare and haircare, from vitamin C and retinol alternatives to niacinamide, ceramides, peptides and plant stem cells. You’ll learn how these actives are made, how they work and how to choose the right ones for your formulations.
By the end of this module, you’ll know how to build high performance products with purpose. You’ll be able to target specific concerns, assess ingredient compatibility and start thinking like a formulation scientist, creative, confident and in control.
Module 5 Lesson 1
The science of skin, hair and ingredient penetration
- Understand the skin barrier and pathways into the hair strand
- Learn the 3 penetration routes into the skin and why penetration isn’t always necessary for effectiveness
- Explore the key factors that influence how well high-performance ingredients work
- Study the legal and ethical considerations around cosmetic penetration
Module 5 Lesson 2
Introduction to high performance ingredients
- Learn what defines a high-performance ingredient and how it differs from actives and functional ingredients
- Study how high-performance ingredients affect the skin and hair
- Learn how to assess ingredient compatibility by building your own compatibility matrix
- Understand how the efficacy of high-performance ingredients is measured and what to look for in supplier data and regulatory claims
Module 5 Lesson 3
High-performance ingredients: Botanicals
- Explore the 5 major groups of phytochemicals found in plants and their roles in organic skincare
- Study 9 botanical extraction methods and the solvents typically used to obtain active plant compounds
- Review 21 commonly used phytochemicals with detailed formulation guidance
- Study projects: Complete 2 experiments to see how pH and solvent choice influence the properties of botanical extracts
Module 5 Lesson 4
High-performance ingredients: Vitamins
- Study the four main vitamin classes used in cosmetics: A (retinoids), B3 (niacinamide), C and E
- Learn how each vitamin functions on the skin, how it’s produced, and the formulation challenges it presents
- Understand regulatory considerations, formulation advice and effective natural alternatives
- Study project: Complete an experiment comparing ascorbic acid with its vitamin C derivatives in formulation
Module 5 Lesson 5
High-performance ingredients: Acids
- Learn how acids affect the skin and scalp through exfoliation, hydration and renewal
- Study 14 acids in depth, including alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA), beta-hydroxy acid (BHA), polyhydroxy acids (PHA) and specialised acids, with full formulation guidance
- Receive safety advice and formulation strategies for working with exfoliating acids
- Study project: Complete an experiment exploring how pH affects the solubility of salicylic acid
Module 5 Lesson 6
High-performance ingredients: Biotech
- Understand what biotech beauty means and how biotech-derived ingredients are already used in natural formulations
- Learn 7 common techniques used to produce cosmetic ingredients through biotechnology
- Study 33 popular biotech ingredients including peptides, ceramides, hyaluronic acid and more
- Explore the ethical and environmental considerations of biotech in the context of sustainable beauty
Module 5 Lesson 7
Creating targeted formulations
- Learn how to formulate for a range of skin and hair concerns, from dryness and sensitivity to frizz and breakage
- Discover how to create versatile base formulas you can adapt for specific needs
- Get targeted formulation advice for 6 common skin concerns
- Apply everything you’ve learned so far to create formulations that meet real needs and deliver results
Dianne, Australia
I’ve just completed the Advanced Diploma course, which challenged me in every way and has also been very rewarding. Formula Botanica has made each step along the way clear and well sequenced.
Module 6
Natural cosmetic preservation
This module demystifies the world of cosmetic preservation so you can confidently protect your formulations. You’ll begin by learning what microbes are, how they grow, and how they damage your products. Then you’ll explore how preservatives work to prevent contamination and what makes a preservative effective.
Finally, you’ll learn a structured method to assess your own formulas and select the right preservative using our checklists and flowcharts. By the end of the module, you’ll be able to create safe, stable formulations with confidence – no more guessing, no more mould, and no risk to your customers.
Module 6 Lesson 1
Microorganisms in cosmetics
- Learn about the microorganisms that affect cosmetic safety, including common bacteria and fungi
- Understand the conditions that promote microbial growth
- Learn the 2 main sources of contamination in your formulations
- Recognise the key signs of microbial spoilage and contamination
Module 6 Lesson 2
How natural preservatives work
- Understand what natural preservatives are, how they work and why preservation is essential in cosmetics
- Study 8 key strategies for preservation, including hurdle technology
- Explore the main groups of natural antimicrobial ingredients and the preservation challenges of tricky materials like honey and clays
- Study project: Complete an experiment testing how pH affects the solubility and effectiveness of organic acid-based preservatives
Module 6 Lesson 3
Selecting a natural preservative
- Learn how to analyse your formulation and preservation needs using our 3-step method
- Follow detailed flow charts and checklists to confidently select the right natural preservative
- Access our reference guide to 19 natural preserving compounds and their trade names
- Get supplier-ready with tools to brief manufacturers and compare preservative options effectively
- Bonus: Natural Preservative Reference Guide
- Bonus: Formulation Analysis Checklist
- Bonus: Natural Preservative Checklist
- Bonus: Supplier Briefing Checklist
Module 7
Cosmetic stability testing
This module is all about making sure your formulations stay safe and stable for their shelf life. You will learn how to carry out 12 in-house stability tests to monitor everything from texture changes to pH drift. You will also find out when and how to outsource specialised tests to a lab, and how to interpret the results.
Most importantly, you will learn how to bring together your testing results to confidently assign a shelf life to your products. You will never again have to guess how long something will last. Instead, you’ll follow a process to make informed, responsible decisions that protect your customers, your formulations and your brand.
Module 7 Lesson 1
The importance of stability testing
- Understand what stability means and why it matters in cosmetic formulation
- Learn which factors influence product stability and how to spot signs of instability
- Discover when to run stability tests and how to build them into your workflow
- Review the legal context for stability testing and what stable products should deliver
Module 7 Lesson 2
Conducting in-house stability tests
- Learn how to carry out 12 in-house stability tests to monitor your formulations over time
- Understand which tests to run, how often to repeat them, and how to interpret the results
- Discover how to document and track changes like separation, discolouration and texture shifts
- Gain the confidence to identify and troubleshoot common stability issues
- Bonus: Stability testing template – for you to use for your own tests
Module 7 Lesson 3
Working with outsourced stability testing
- Learn the 6 stability and safety tests that must be outsourced to meet legal and professional standards
- Understand how to find and choose a lab that’s right for your formulation needs
- Discover how to prepare your product for testing and what results to expect
- Use lab validation to confirm product safety and support any claims you wish to make
Module 7 Lesson 4
Determining shelf life
- Understand what shelf life really means and how it differs from expiry dates
- Learn how to interpret your test results and assign a realistic shelf life to your formulations
- Factor in real-world influences like packaging, ingredient interactions and storage conditions
- Bonus: Stability testing checklist – use our checklist to ensure you are fully prepared to launch your product
Module 8 + Final assignment
Reverse formulation
This module is the grand finale to everything you have learned so far in your cosmetic science course. You’ll take a real cosmetic product and recreate it from scratch using the process of reverse formulation – the ultimate test of your advanced formulation skills.
You’ll then submit your reverse formulation as your final assignment, which is graded by a Formula Botanica Tutor. This is your moment to show just how far you have come and it will feel incredible. You will be amazed at the confidence you have gained and the skills you have mastered. By the time you finish, you will not just feel like an advanced formulator. You will be one.
Module 8 Lesson 1
Reverse formulation
- Learn what reverse formulation is and why it is a powerful skill for advanced formulators
- Study Formula Botanica’s 10-step process for breaking down a cosmetic product and building it back up
- Practise identifying INCI lists, benchmarking ingredients and making confident formulation decisions independently
- Use all the knowledge of ingredient research, formulation design and stability you gained throughout this cosmetic science course
Final assignment
Final assignment preparation
- Learn exactly what is required to complete your final assignment successfully
- Follow our detailed process and template to structure and submit your work with confidence
- Use the final assignment checklist to stay on track and meet all key requirements
- Understand the mandatory components and see how your work will be assessed using our grading rubric
Miguel, USA
The Advanced Diploma has provided me amazing skills to become a proficient and well-informed formulator.
Your Exclusive Bonuses
When you study with Formula Botanica, you become part of a close-knit international community of students and graduates around the world. We support you all throughout your studies and beyond, and we give you access to a whole library of amazing bonuses to help you become a certified advanced formulator.
Bonus 1
Earn your Certificate of Completion
Worried that you don’t know how to make advanced formulations? When you complete your course successfully, you can call yourself a certified advanced formulator and proudly hang your Certificate of Completion on the wall of your lab! You’ll also receive special Formula Botanica badges to show the world your success in organic cosmetic science. Your certificate and badges are a sign to the world that you have invested in your education.
Value = Priceless
Bonus 2
Global Supplier Guide
Don’t know where to buy ingredients, packaging and equipment? We’ve tested many suppliers, and so has our student community. Every year, we compile a new version of our global supplier guide based on community feedback. This guide contains over 500 suppliers around the world, and every student gets access when they enrol.
Price = £97 Free
Bonus 3
Ingredients Directory with 150+ profiles
Don’t worry about not knowing which ingredients to use in your formulations. When you enrol with us, you receive this incredible 259-page document packed full of detailed ingredient profiles, covering oils, butters, waxes, hydrosols, functional ingredients, active ingredients, and more.
Price = £97 Free
Bonus 4
Essential Oil Dermal Limits Guide
There is no single textbook in the world that is always up-to-date and summarises exactly how to work with essential oil dermal limits. Believe us: we’ve looked! That’s why we wrote this one. Every new student gets access to this dermal limits guide to help you work safely with essential oils.
Price = £47 Free
Bonus 5
pH Measurement & Adjustment Guide
Every water-based formulation needs to have its pH checked and potentially adjusted. This helpful downloadable guide walks all formulators through the basics for measuring and adjusting the pH of liquids, emulsions and solid products. All new students receive this guide for free when they enrol.
Price = £47 Free
Bonus 6
Become Part of the Loveliest Formulation Community on the Internet
Once you enrol with us, you are welcomed into our international student community groups, which contain many thousands of our students and graduates from all over the world. Many of our students become firm formulation friends for life! Ask questions, share photos, troubleshoot formulations. Celebrate your victories and get encouragement when you need it. You are never alone.
Value = Priceless
Enrol in our Advanced Diploma to learn advanced techniques and use cutting-edge ingredients to formulate high performance organic cosmetics.
Pre-enrol for our next termPrerequisites
Suitable for students with formulation experience, ideally graduates of our foundation Diploma.
Start Date
Term Times. Self-paced training where you have up to 2 years to complete your course.
Assessment
Projects, activities and reflexive learning. Each module ends with a short test.
Online Classroom
Peer support & tutor support via a private Facebook group.
Accreditation
Formula Botanica is accredited by the Open & Distance Learning Quality Council.
Expert Support
Our Tutor Team has an educational background in cosmetic chemistry, biology, education and business management. Let us support you.
Formula Botanica’s Advanced Diploma in Organic Cosmetic Science was the first course of its kind on the internet when it launched in 2012, and it’s now considered the gold standard in online cosmetic science education. This Advanced Diploma has helped thousands of formulators become confident, capable and innovative professionals who formulate products that work.
We created this cosmetic science course with the input of more than 20 experts, including formulators, chemists, pharmacists, scientists, researchers, regulatory specialists, teachers, students and graduates. We know it can change your life.
As part of our mission to teach the world to formulate, we’ve intentionally kept the course fee low — even though the value of this education exceeds £4,000. The Advanced Diploma is currently available for £1,997, but Formula Botanica does plan to increase the fee over time.
Enrol now for a life-changing education that will make you a certified advanced formulator. We can’t wait to welcome you into our community.
Pre-enrol for our next term
