cosmetic chemist
Cosmetic chemists develop formulas in order to create and test new cosmetic products and improve existing cosmetic products such as perfumes and fragrances, lipstick, waterproof lotions and makeup, hair dye, soaps and detergents with special properties, topical medicines or health supplements.
cosmetic chemist cosmetic chemists develop formulas in order to create and test new cosmetic products and improve existing cosmetic products such as perfumes and fragrances, lipstick, waterproof lotions and makeup, hair dye, soaps and detergents with special properties, topica. The role shows moderate AI exposure (0.50 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include cosmetics ingredients, good manufacturing practices, analytical chemistry, laboratory techniques, scientific research methodology.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £39,983 a year for Chemical scientists (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 2111). ONS rates this estimate acceptable: it rests on a small sample, so treat it as a rough guide. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only cosmetic chemist, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 2. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Chemistry
- English Language
- Mathematics
- Production and Processing
- Computers and Electronics
- Administration and Management
- Administrative
- Physics
What you'd actually do
- Develop, improve, or customize products, equipment, formulas, processes, or analytical methods.
- Analyze organic or inorganic compounds to determine chemical or physical properties, composition, structure, relationships, or reactions, using chromatography, spectroscopy, or spectrophotometry techniques.
- Induce changes in composition of substances by introducing heat, light, energy, or chemical catalysts for quantitative or qualitative analysis.
- Conduct quality control tests.
- Write technical papers or reports or prepare standards and specifications for processes, facilities, products, or tests.
- Maintain laboratory instruments to ensure proper working order and troubleshoot malfunctions when needed.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does cosmetic chemist do?
Cosmetic chemists develop formulas in order to create and test new cosmetic products and improve existing cosmetic products such as perfumes and fragrances, lipstick, waterproof lotions and makeup, hair dye, soaps and detergents with special properties, topical medicines or health supplements.
What skills does cosmetic chemist need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include cosmetics ingredients, good manufacturing practices, analytical chemistry, laboratory techniques, scientific research methodology, draft scientific or academic papers and technical documentation. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace cosmetic chemist?
Our AI-durability model gives cosmetic chemist a score of 0.50 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.