Signposting career opportunities in cosmetics

The cosmetics and beauty industry is a dynamic environment where science meets creativity at every level in every profession. It employs over one million directly or indirectly in the UK,¹ is worth several billion to the UK economy and is part of a vast economically resilient global marketplace. However, the science, scientists, engineers, and creativity required for the launch of every new product are not always recognised or appreciated by students or those early in their careers. 

Our sector is rarely top-of-mind in discussions that dictate a future career path of someone in school or higher education. Nor is the industry represented in the types of career fairs that attract top students into and beyond university. Many people working in the sector say the pathways into jobs and careers in the cosmetics and beauty industry were not well described or signposted during their formative education.

Furthermore, students and consumers of cosmetic and beauty products are generally ignorant of the many, varied and rewarding jobs in the cosmetics and beauty industry and how these are deployed in the production of the myriad of products they use every day. So, the UK’s first and only business cluster for the cosmetics and beauty industry – Cosmetics Cluster UK (CCUK)² - set about trying to find out why this is. Following two industry surveys by CCUK, three years apart, here I assess the current state of play.