Cosmetic Product Development (Coursera)

We engage with raw material suppliers and navigate international manufacturing regulations. You will also learn to evaluate cosmetic product performance, market trends, and sustainable practices. We designed this course to give you a holistic understanding of the cosmetic product development process within industry standards.e.g. This is primarily aimed at first- and second-year undergraduates interested in engineering or science, along with high school students and professionals with an interest in programming.

This course is part of the Introduction to Cosmetic Science and Ingredients Specialization.

What you'll learn

- Master the end-to-end process of launching new cosmetic products

- Learn to evaluate market trends and customer needs for product development

- Gain insights into sustainable practices and international manufacturing regulations

- Understand performance and stability testing for cosmetics

Syllabus

Stages of Cosmetic Product Development

This module will delve into customer needs and idea generation, exploring consumer psychology, data collection methods, and innovative idea-generation techniques. Feasibility studies and conceptualization play an important role in developing a new product, and we will evaluate product design principles, idea viability, and proof of concept. The module concludes with prototype development and refinement, emphasizing collaboration, prototype creation steps, and adjustments based on feedback.

Packaging and Manufacturing Considerations

In this module, you will embark on the exciting journey of cosmetic product development. Starting with design and material selection for packaging, we'll explore packaging functional design principles, the importance of evaluating costs and benefits, and delve into sustainability practices. Moving on to the manufacturing process, we'll uncover the steps involved in manufacturing cosmetics, learn more about different types of raw material suppliers and how to engage with them, look at the process of scaling production from laboratory batch through to a manufacturing run and explore good manufacturing practices (GMP). Lastly, we'll cover safety standards, legal insights, international regulations, and labeling compliance, and address how to tackle compliance issues effectively.

Performance Evaluation

This module will explore the essential aspects of performance evaluation in cosmetic product development. Beginning with stability testing, we'll clarify various types of product testing, and delve into techniques for performance evaluation, focusing on diverse cosmetic products' evaluation methodologies. Building on this, we'll discuss adjusting based on performance evaluation, demonstrating the process of modifying products based on compiled data. To ensure consistent product quality, we'll outline the necessary steps for maintaining quality control. Additionally, we'll cover ethical testing to ensure products align with legal and ethical standards. Shifting our focus to product launch, we'll explore preparation steps, roll-out strategies, and supply chain management for risk reduction and efficiency, followed by post-launch evaluation techniques and consumer feedback analysis for continuous improvement.

Formula Optimization

In this module, we explore the diverse aspects involved in developing cosmetic products. We'll assess the formula's alignment with current market needs by reviewing trends and gauging its success accordingly. You'll discover why when looking for methods to maximize and differentiate, the assessment of novel materials is essential. To make your formulas environmentally friendly, we will also examine several methods for ensuring formula optimization, comprehend the fine line that separates quality from cost, assess different formula designs, and investigate sustainable applications.