Meet the makeup chemist dedicated to promoting the truth about skincare on Instagram

Have you ever wondered who is responsible for creating the formulas of your favorite skin care products? The answer is scientists, especially cosmetic chemists. Creating the perfect recipe is a science that Esther Olu (aka The Melanin Chemist) is passionate. Formulator from California created social media followers giving people insight into this ever-changing career and debunking ingredient myths with fun and informative infographics. We recently had the opportunity to talk to her and learn more about this exciting career. Find out what it really means to be a cosmetic chemist and why Olu finds it important to share his scientific knowledge with his followers. 

So, first things first, what exactly do cosmetic chemists do? 

Cosmetologists are working to see which ingredients can be combined to make certain products. I help formulate products ranging from skincare to color and hair care. You name it, I'm working on it. We are always coming up with different recipes using chemistry and our knowledge to improve them and ultimately make the best product available.

What prompted you to become a cosmetic chemist? Have you always been drawn to skin care and beauty?

I have not always been immersed in beauty. To be honest, my interest in it didn't start until I went to college. I've been consulting a skin care brand, literally just suggesting people use a certain moisturizer. Working with this brand was a defining moment for me. After that, I became more interested in beauty. So, when I almost graduated from college, I knew that I didn't want to go the traditional route in pharmaceutical school, I wanted to do something else. 

In senior chemistry, you do a lot of organic chemistry - in a way, it's like reverse engineering - and I was curious about how what I'm studying can be applied to beauty. After some googling, I learned about cosmetic chemistry and the rest is history.

What is the hardest part of being a cosmetics developer?

It frustrates me when my formulas fail and I don't know what the problem is because I have to constantly create the same formula and tweak it a bit to figure out what is causing the problem. It can be mind draining because I start to think I'm doing something wrong, but really the formula itself just doesn't work. But once I understand what the problem is, it is so helpful and one of the best feelings.

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How long does it take to develop a skin care formula from scratch?

At least a year, but it could definitely take longer. From concept to launch, I would say one to two years. 

Do you often go through four or five iterations until you have the perfect formula?

Yes! Sometimes even more, because in my current job I work with clients and brands. Let's say I think the wording is perfect, but the client tries it and doesn't like it. I have to go back to the drawing board and constantly fix it until they are happy with the result. Once I reformulated something more than 20 times - everything rested on the fact that the client was satisfied with the formula. 

What ingredients do you enjoy working with the most?

I like glycerin because it's a very simple ingredient that can be used for a variety of purposes. Not only is it an excellent humectant, but it also makes the recipe easier to prepare. For example, if I'm having trouble blending ingredients, glycerin will help make them smoother. I also love how it hydrates my skin. I think this might be my favorite ingredient to work with. I also enjoy working with esters [a type of emollient] because of how they affect the skin. They are also very versatile: you can use esters to create makeup and skin care formulations.

What are the most common misconceptions you hear about beauty ingredients or products? 

I feel that when it comes to skin care, people think there is always a right or wrong answer. Skin care is never black or white – there will always be a gray area. However, there are not many scientific communicators on the Internet that can dispel misconceptions. The common one, for example, is associated with sulfates: people think that if the composition contains sulfates, it will automatically strip the skin or hair. Similarly, if you use something with glycolic acid, it can burn your skin. Something like that. This is why formulations are so important when we think about the products we use.

How do you use your social media platforms to spread awareness about cosmetic chemistry and inform people about ingredient misconceptions?

I love creating infographics. I feel like visual aids help a lot, and in my opinion it's easier for someone to see a diagram than just text because they'll be like, "What are you talking about?" I also like making videos because I think that when people see what I do and what I talk about, it becomes easier for them. Also, not everyone can see what goes on behind the scenes when it comes to cosmetic chemistry since the industry is so small. That's why I like to look at them from the inside. I like to be informative and simplify things and also make people laugh so they take things a little more easily. 

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Why is it important for you to change the narrative around these misconceptions?

It comes down to instilling fear. I think about the pandemic and how fear has dominated people's thinking for two years. This fear also occurs with skin care ingredients. It's gotten to the point where people think something as simple as a moisturizer will kill them for a single ingredient. Skin care should be fun. That's why I want to reformulate our thinking using science, because it exists for a reason. I think telling the facts helps people have more fun with things and feel a little lighter about them.

The beauty industry as a whole has a history of not being very inclusive. In recent years, we've seen a change from the consumer's point of view, with more varied shade ranges and more products designed for melanized skin, but what's the industry's behavior with regards to formulations?

I think we've definitely made some progress, but I feel like we're still missing something. I am currently the only African American in my entire company, and it was the same at my previous company. It was really interesting how the Black Lives Matter movement changed the story a bit, but only temporarily. Brands and companies said they were going to make a change and bring more people of color into the corporate environment, but that morale seemed to only last a couple of months and then subsided. I feel like people are using [Black Lives Matter] as a trend, not because they really care about change or inclusion. 

What I also find interesting is that Generation Z and even millennials don't understand this. We want to see more inclusivity, and we're starting to reach out to brands more often asking things like "why is this product's shade range so limited?" and so on. The cosmetics industry is already so small, but we need more people of color in the field to show more representation. Look at sunscreen - we know that mineral sunscreens tend to leave a very pale tint on darker skin tones. We need more people of color to work in the sunscreen sector so that these formulations improve. So yes, I feel like we've made progress, but we need progress, more consistent progress.

What steps need to be taken to diversify the field of cosmetic chemistry?

There are so many restrictions placed on people of color and women when it comes to STEM in general. I think more outreach is needed - through scholarships and big companies - to show that they are investing in STEM for women. For example, the Society of Cosmetic Chemists provides a Madame CJ Walker Scholarship to underrepresented minorities. The scholarship not only helps pay for their tuition, but also highlights their achievements, which in turn gives recipients connections in large companies. We need more of this and I think it should start with big companies. Companies should invest in outreach and raise awareness of the importance of STEM. Awareness will really make an impact. 

With regards to cosmetic chemistry in particular, I would like the big cosmetic conglomerates to spread the word by making videos to show what cosmetic chemistry is and to get people interested. Some of my colleagues are posting videos like this on their social media and people are very interested in it, so I think getting out into the wider scene will get people talking. Social media has a huge impact on our lives, so if more people involved in cosmetic chemistry use it as a form of education and awareness, it will definitely get people talking and generate interest in the field.  

What advice would you give to someone who wants to pursue a career in cosmetic chemistry?

Always be open to learning because science is constantly evolving. There are so many sectors in cosmetic chemistry, including sunscreen, cosmetics and skin care products, so I would advise not to limit yourself to one because you can learn a lot. Most importantly, don't be afraid to fail because at some point you will fail the formula. Persistence is key. I think failure is a great thing to learn from and it's more rewarding than anything when you're learning from failure.

What is your favorite beauty product of all time?

My favorite skin care product right now is Sachi Skin Ursolic Acid & Retinal Overnight Reform. It's really expensive but it helps with my acne and I think it's worth it. 

What is your favorite beauty trend right now?

I like that the industry is paying more attention to fencing repairs. It seems to me that over the past year people have begun to pay more attention to skin care, but they did not quite understand what they were doing. So a lot of people have experimented with exfoliation, but sometimes too much and it ends up breaking their skin barriers. Now, more and more professionals are going online to talk about the importance of the skin barrier and show people how to take good care of their skin, such as not using so many active ingredients at the same time. So I think it's pretty cool.

What are you most looking forward to in 2022?

I'm interested to see where the skin care space is heading because microbiome skin care is predicted to be a huge trend. I am also ready to learn more in my career.