Formulation Scientist - Cosmetic Product - Lipstick, Liquid lipstick

About the role

We are building a premium color-cosmetics line (lips, cheeks, eyes, and overnight lip care) with a strong focus on texture, wear, shade performance, and cleaner/natural-leaning ingredients (butters, oils, film formers, pigments). We need a hands-on Formulation Scientist / Chemist who can take concepts from lab bench to stable, manufacturable products.

This is not a theoretical R&D role. You will formulate, iterate, shade-match, stability-test, and work with manufacturing and packaging so products can actually launch.

Product categories you will own

• Classic lipstick (bullet)
• Liquid lipstick
• Tinted lip balm
• Lip gloss
• Lip liner pencil
• Blush stick
• Highlighter stick
• Cream eyeshadow stick
• Contour stick
• Cream bronzer stick
• Lip sleeping mask

Key responsibilities

• Develop and optimize formulations from brief to lab batch to pilot/scale-up.
• Work on payoff, slip, melt, transfer, wear time, comfort, shine/matte finish, and shade accuracy.
• Build and refine bases for anhydrous sticks, oil-wax systems, emulsions (where needed), and film-forming liquid lips.
• Shade development and pigment dispersion (organic/inorganic pigments, lakes, pearls, iron oxides).
• Select and evaluate raw materials: waxes, butters (cocoa, shea), oils (castor and others), esters, film formers, polymers, preservatives/antioxidants, flavor/fragrance, actives for lip mask.
• Run and document stability (RT, 40/45C, freezethaw, cycle), compatibility with packaging (bullet, doe-foot, pencil, twist-up stick), and basic performance tests.
• Prepare formula sheets, batch records, specs, and tech-transfer packs for CMO / in-house production.
• Support claims language that is honest and regulation-safe (India CDSCO/BIS; awareness of EU/US if we export).
• Benchmark premium Indian and global lip/face products and close gaps.
• Work with packaging, procurement, QA, and marketing on cost, sensory, and launch timelines.
• Keep a clean lab notebook and digital formula library.

Must-have experience

• Hands-on color cosmetics, especially lips and/or stick formats (bullet lipstick, liquid lip, gloss, balm, twist-up sticks). Face sticks (blush / bronzer / highlighter / cream shadow) is a strong plus.
• Comfortable with wax–oil–butter systems, pigment wetting/dispersion, and stick moulding or filling.
• Stability and packaging compatibility for makeup, not only skincare lotions.
• Degree: B.Sc / M.Sc Chemistry, Cosmetic Science / Technology, B.Pharm / M.Pharm, or related. Diploma in Cosmetic Science is useful.

Good to have

• Clean / natural / “no nasties” formulation experience without sacrificing wear.
• Work with CMOs or tech transfer in India.
• Knowledge of FSSAI is not required; cosmetic rules (Schedule S / BIS / labeling) are.
• Sensory evaluation and shade library discipline.
• Interest in luxury positioning and Indian skin-tone ranges.

What success looks like in 6–12 months

• Stable hero SKUs in lipstick + at least one liquid lip / gloss / balm.
• 1–2 face stick formats (blush or highlighter) ready for pilot.
• Documented formulas that a factory can repeat.
• • Clear shade architecture for Indian undertones.