We have students in over 130 countries, all of whom have been able to source the ingredients and materials needed to make a wide variety of cosmetic products. Most countries have specialist cosmetic ingredient suppliers where you will be able to source your materials so it is likely you will be able to find many of the ingredients you need within your own country, for example, carrier oils, butter, and essential oils. For specialty ingredients such as natural/organic emulsifiers and preservatives, you might need to order from overseas (USA/UK/Europe/Australia) depending on where you live.
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 that you might want to look at in the meantime:
www.schoolofnaturalskincare.com/recipes-info/recommended-suppliers/
If you cannot buy an ingredient locally, here are some options for you:
1) In many cases you can use a substitute ingredient. It's very easy to substitute ingredients such as carrier oils, essential oils, butter, and waxes. We have written an article that gives you some tips on substituting ingredients.
https://www.schoolofnaturalskincare.com/how-to-substitute-ingredients-when-making-skincare-products/
2) You can order from overseas. In the case of specialist ingredients like emulsifiers and preservatives, you may have to order from overseas. Many suppliers based in the USA, UK, and Australia will ship overseas. You'll find a comprehensive supplier list included with the course.
3) When searching for an ingredient online, it's important to use the INCI name, as sometimes the local/trade name for ingredients differs, whereas the INCI name will always be the same.
In case you don't already know, INCI names (International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient) are systematic names internationally recognized to identify cosmetic ingredients. They function in the same way as Latin names for plants, which are the same internationally. All the ingredients in our formulas are listed by the trade name and the INCI name.
4) When you enroll in a course you can join our Private Student and Graduate group on Facebook, so you can ask other students if they can help. We have students from all over the world so it is likely they have encountered similar issues.