A Beauty Formulator’s New Year Reset: Designing Your 2026 Cosmetic Formulation Journey

Let’s stir up some magic in the lab with today’s hot topic: 2026 cosmetic formulation journey for beauty students, aspiring formulators and future brand owners. This is a more personal piece than I usually write, because the last few years have reshaped my life, my business and my understanding of what it means to grow through difficult seasons.

If you are part of MB Cosmetics Academy, you already know that formulation is not just about learning ingredients. It is about becoming a creator. It is about building a skillset that can change your career, your future business and your confidence as a maker. And much like personal growth, learning cosmetic formulation often requires resilience, consistency and a clear, grounded plan.

This is why I want to invite you into a reflection that blends personal honesty with professional ambition. Whether you are studying emulsions, working on your herbal extraction skills, planning to launch your brand or simply learning for the joy of it, this New Year is an opportunity to realign, refocus and choose the version of yourself you want to become in 2026.

The Biggest Lessons From The Past Years As A Formulator And Teacher

The last few years have tested me in ways I never anticipated but it also reminded me why teaching matters. Why learning matters. Why community matters. And you, my Academy students, were part of what kept me going.

Teaching you formulation, developing courses, answering your questions, reviewing your projects, watching your progress and seeing your breakthroughs gave me purpose when everything else felt uncertain.

Sometimes growth looks like survival. Sometimes it looks like rebuilding. And sometimes it looks like education becoming a lifeline.

As we move toward 2026, I am taking these lessons with me: resilience, curiosity, intentional learning and the courage to start again.

Reflecting On Your Growth As An Aspiring Cosmetic Formulator

The biggest transformation I see in my students happens when they shift from vague hopes to structured goals. Instead of saying “I want to become a good formulator”, they define what good means. Instead of “I want to launch a brand someday”, they decide whether someday is next year, five years or never.

So I want you to ask yourself:

What kind of formulator do I want to be by the end of 2026?
What skills do I want to master?
Which product categories do I want to specialise in?
How confident do I want to feel when reading a supplier document or adjusting a formula?
Do I want to create my own brand or simply learn as a craft?
What would make me proud when I look back a year from now?

When you answer honestly, you give yourself a direction. And with direction comes momentum.

Where You Want To Be As A Cosmetic Formulator In December 2026

Every Academy student’s journey is different, but the most successful ones share one thing: they plan in layers, not leaps.

First, they choose a core focus: skincare, haircare, herbalism, formulation science or business.
Then, they build the foundations: ingredient knowledge, safety, solubility, pH, stability basics.
Next, they develop confidence with practice formulas, guided assignments and small portfolio pieces.
Finally, they decide if and how they want to turn their skills into a real brand.

To help you design your 2026 roadmap, here is a structure I would recommend students to use:

Phase 1, January to March: strengthen your foundations.
Phase 2, April to June: build your portfolio with 6 to 12 complete formulas.
Phase 3, July to September: specialise in categories you love & test your formulas
Phase 4, October to December: create your brand concept or refine your final project.

Your goal is not perfection. It is progression.

What MB Cosmetics Academy Is Building For Students in 2026

Here is what we are building for you in the Academy this year.

1. New advanced formulation modules

You’ll learn even more formula types for face, body, hair and scalp with different textures, sensory mapping, more ingredient strategies and more formulation mechanics. But also adding makeup formulas to learn how to create mascaras, lip pencils, foundations, concealers, highlighters, like a pro!

2. Herbalism integration across courses

I am finally committing to my herbalism program this year, which means more herbal science will be added to Academy content.

3. More business-focused resources

You will see new lessons on pricing, product development timelines, business decisions, brand growth, launch planning and the founder mindset.

4. Q&A and skill-building sessions

More opportunities to ask questions, get real feedback and learn from the issues your peers are facing.

5. Portfolio-building challenges

To help you create a strong body of work, especially if you want to pursue internships, lab jobs or brand creation.

You deserve an education that feels alive, not passive. That is our commitment for 2026.

How To Stay Motivated When Learning Cosmetic Formulation Feels Hard

You are not meant to be productive every day. You are meant to be consistent over time. When motivation fades, return to your why.

Why did you start studying cosmetic formulation?
What excited you at the beginning?
What do you hope this skill will give you?

And when life becomes heavy, be gentle with yourself. Growth in formulation, just like growth in life, is not linear. Some seasons are for learning. Some are for integrating. Some are for resting. And some are for leaping.

You do not need to rush. You just need to remain committed to your path.

Stepping Into 2026 With Confidence As A Beauty Student

As we enter into 2026, it is our time to reflect on the person we’ve been the past year, the person we want to be from now on, and how to bridge that gap. It’s looking at everything we’ve accomplished, congratulating ourselves for the work that we’ve achieved so far, setting new goals and breaking them down into digestible and actionable steps from January 1st onwards. 

You do not need to rush. You do not need to keep up with other students you never asked to race with. And most of all, you no longer accept to bear the heaviness of the impostor syndrome on your shoulders! You are on your way to becoming a fully-fledged cosmetic formulator. Skill takes practice, at any level of the game!

And if this year has been heavier than you admit to most people, I want to remind you of something:
You made it here. You survived the things you thought would break you. You showed up for your family, your friends, your studies, your job,  even when your heart was exhausted.

That is strength. That is resilience. That is commitment. Everything you need for 2026 is already within you. You just need a plan that matches your capacity, your values and your vision.

I wish you and yours a beautiful, meaningful and successful New Year!

From My Lab To Yours,

Rose