COSMETICS SPECIALIST
Shakila Sathiananthan
Hi there, I'm Shakila. I work as a Scientific Advisor for L'Oreal to help market new, high fashion cosmetics and perfumes. It's my job to explain how our products work so that people who buy them understand what they do. The products I work with are basically a mixture of chemical compounds, so it's really important for me to have a good understanding of chemistry and some biology too. That way I can understand the science behind the products and explain it in a simple way. Some people are surprised when they find out I'm a scientist, because I get to work with great beauty products all day.
The cosmetics and beauty industry is quite glamorous and sometimes there are big celebrity product launch parties to attend. It's a tough job but someone's got to do it.
Learn about cosmetic science jobs & more about the fashion industry.
Did you know?- Cosmetic Scientists can earn between £18,000 and £50,000 a year.
- As a Cosmetic Scientist, you could work on the biggest brands and most high profile beauty launches.
- There's a huge range of job possibilities within the cosmetics industry from research; understanding reactions of skin, hair, nails etc. to packaging; developing containers that are safe, attractive and able to dispense the correct amount of the product.
- Cosmetic Scientists, need a maths and science background as they work with chemical compounds.
- Working in the cosmetics industry means you get loads of free beauty products
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:My name's Shakila, I'm a scientific advisor for L'Oreal. I work with our scientists over in Paris and in New York and with the marketeers here in the UK to develop really strong claims for our products.
We're launching products so quickly, you really need to understand how a mascara lengthens the look of your lashes, how a lipstick will stay on your lips for 18 hours a day.
I took Biology, Chemistry and Maths at A-level. It's really important to be able to speak to a variety of people and turn science speak into consumer language.
If you're going to do my job, love science, love people.
Interested in becoming a Cosmetics Specialist? Find out more about it here, check out our Useful Links section or talk to a careers advisor at school.