If you are interested in learning to make a range of natural skincare products we offer two different courses: our Certificate in Making Natural Skincare Products which is our shorter, beginners course and our Diploma in Natural Skincare Formulation which is our more in-depth course that will take your skills to a deeper level.


These two courses cover some of the same topics so therefore some of the essential information provided is the same. Where there is a crossover in the topic covered, the Diploma in Natural Skincare Formulation takes the topic much further. It will explain the topic in more detail and give more scientific information about it. Where ingredients are concerned the Diploma discusses a greater number and more advanced ingredients.


There is also a great deal of content that is different.


The Certificate course gives you 120+ recipes that are relatively simple yet effective. These are exclusive to the Certificate course and not provided with the Diploma course.


The Diploma course covers many topics, product types and ingredients that are not included in the Certificate course. Most notably the Diploma will teach you how to professionally formulate a range of products, not just follow our recipes.


Some of the additional topics that are included in the Diploma (and not in the Certificate):


Professional formulation skills

  • Using a product development brief and testing and evaluating your formula.
  • Creating unique formulations tailored perfectly to your (or your customer’s) needs.
  • Using our formulation templates and examples to help you formulate your own products.


Ingredients:

In addition to the carrier oils, butters, waxes and essential oils covered in the Certificate course the Diploma covers:

  • Botanical extracts such as botanical glycerol extracts, allantoin, hydrolyzed proteins, CO2 extracts, powdered and liquid extracts.
  • Esters and emollients like coco caprylate and isoamyl laurate.
  • Humectants such as hyaluronic acid and sodium lactate.
  • Vitamins, actives and cosmeceuticals such as panthenol (Provitamin B5), Vitamin E and ubiquinone (co-enzyme Q10).
  • AHAs and BHAs eg lactic acid, glycolic acid, malic acid, salicylic acid, sodium lactate.
  • More natural/organic emulsifiers – 11 more natural emulsifiers (14 in total).
  • More natural/organic preservatives – 11 in total.
  • More carrier oils and in more detail – we cover an additional 15 carrier oils (34 in total) and include more detail about their fatty acid profile and why it is important.
  • More essential oils – we include some extra luxurious oils including sandalwood, jasmine and rose.


More complex and higher-performance products plus new product types:

  • Creams, lotions, toners, spritzers, cleansers, serums, balms, butters, soaks and scrubs and more.
  • Oil-to-milk formulas – learn how to formulate a range of oil-to-milk products including cleansers oils, bath oils, shower oils, body and face polishes.


More science! We take an in-depth look at:

  • The science of emulsification, what it is, what can go wrong and how to fix it.
  • O/W and W/O emulsions.
  • Rheology and viscosity modification.
  • Microbiology.
  • How to extend the shelf-life of your products using seven different strategies.
  • Skin anatomy and physiology – skin hydration, skin barrier, the acid mantle, skin aging, sun damage, absorption of ingredients into the skin, formulating for different skin types.


Increased skills

  • How to use a pH meter – which is more accurate and professional than pH strips.
  • Professional lab equipment and how to scale up from small batches to large batches.
  • GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) – what you need to do and how to implement it.


Branding and business skills

The Diploma includes two entire modules focused on branding and business including:

  • Elements of a winning brand and creating YOUR brand.
  • Cosmetic regulations.
  • Labelling regulations.
  • Cosmetic claims.
  • Seven important steps to take before you sell your products.


A more advanced student community

  • You will get to join our Diploma student community where more advanced topics are discussed.
  • Plus we have two Q&As a week rather than just one, meaning your questions are answered more quickly.


If you are comparing and choosing between the courses we have written an article to help: Choosing between our skincare Certificate or Diploma – which course is right for you? www.schoolofnaturalskincare.com/difference-between-certificate-and-diploma/ 


If you are uncertain about your long-term plans, or you cannot choose between the two courses, we have got you covered! Our Beginner to Formulator Program contains both the Certificate in Making Natural Skincare Products, as well as the Diploma in Natural Skincare Formulation – and, you get a discount of US $167 when you pair them together!


This program is designed to take you from a complete beginner with no experience, to a confident natural skincare formulator! This choice would be best for you if you want to build your confidence by first following more simple recipes created by us and then from there move on to create your own more advanced formulations.


This program contains:

  • Certificate in Making Natural Skincare Products.
  • Diploma in Natural Skincare Formulation.
  • 10 bonus classes!


This program costs US $1,177, saving you $167. Find out more here: www.schoolofnaturalskincare.com/online-programs/#beginner