Formula Botanica

I took the diploma of advanced skin care, and though they had an online platform that was user-friendly the information was too basic and inaccurate.

Let me start off by saying that Lorraine is not a cosmetic scientist. Her background is in biology.

The content of the materials taught in the curriculum clearly reflect this.

My biggest problem is the student Facebook group. It is a free-for-all. Theres so much mis information, that its confusing. The student tutors do not know what they are talking about and often give conflicting information.

(See pic below.) yes, glycerin can be added to an anhydrous product in low percentages w/o preservative and emulsifier!!

After graduating from Formula Botanica, I enrolled with Institute of Personal Care Science with Belinda Carli.

All of the questions and frustrations that I had while taking my course at FB was answered, and I had a clear understanding of what I was doing wrong.

Please do not take classes at Formula Botanica. It is not written by a cosmetic scientist, too basic and some other materials covered is not accurate.

First of all, the "Diploma in Organic Skincare Formulation" (DOSF) does not, in the end earn you a diploma! You get a certificate of completion, which is a lame PDF.

It doesn't get anymore generic than this! I was shocked! I spent many hours completing this course to get a certificate of completion? I get that when I complete an hour long training for my professional job.

In my ignorance, I bought two courses, the introduction course (DOSF) and the Advanced course which I was given three years to complete.

BUT you can pay $50.00 a month for extensions for as long as you want, even though they say you can only extend once. So the courses that you initially paid $2,000.00 for can very quickly become much more than that.

The course materials are VERY basic. There are no modules that even mention cosmetic chemistry. NOTHING.

You can not formulate cosmetic products without learning about chemistry. The closest you come is the biology of the skin. That is it. They throw around words like "electrolyte" but don't explain what it is.

When you ask the "tutor" their pat answer is "research your ingredients". Rarely did I get an actual answer that was informative.

One of the most disturbing things about this course is that there are typos all throughout the materials. I know that many people have pointed these out and nothing gets corrected. And, for that matter, the materials themselves have not been updated in many years.

How is that good teaching? New ingredients come on the market all the time but are not included at all.

The materials for DOSF are so basic, it is really meant for the DIY'er, NOT someone who wants to start a business. For example, there is never a discussion about emulsifier charge which is critical, CRITICAL in formulating a stable product. As well, building viscosity is not achieved by just adding more butters!

It is so much more complex than that!

In terms of the Advanced course, After completing the first Module and entering the second, it is then that I decided that I'd had enough. Again, the "projects" were so incredibly basic I was shocked. There is nothing advanced about this course at all. I couldn't have been more disappointed.

My two study partners and I have all decided to gain our education elsewhere and are SO happy that we did!

In the end, unfortunately Formula Botanica was a huge waste of money and time. I wish that I had done more research as I find there are no shortage of critical reviews. Live and learn I suppose. I'm just happy that I didn't pay the recent increased prices.

Do yourself a favor and spend some time on google looking for reputable sources- you can pretty much learn the same stuff for free.

A Few more things to note:

1. There is only one cosmetic chemist (from what I understand a recent hire) on staff which is why they can't answer complicated questions.

2. The founder is a biologist in the field of energy. Not a cosmetic chemist

3.

Accreditation is only from the EU to make sure they teach what they say they do. They are NOT actually accredited as you and I expect.

4. They offer no financial aide at all. Pay in full or find another program

5.

READ THE NEGATIVE REVIEWS! THEY AREN'T LYING!

I paid for the Advanced Diploma because I have maid my cosmetic for more than 15 years and I wanted to improve myself. I only made one module so I can't evaluate all courses.

But this first module is soooooo basic, it's ridiculous. Nothing "advanced", it's clearly for beginners. I ask a question about emulsion and the tutors did not have any good answer (it's another student on the facebook group who answered me well). I spoke with other students : same problem, no professional support from the team.

But the things that shock's me the most, is that I paid for all courses, but I can't access all because I do not have time (with covid, homeschooling, work...) to complete my homework (and these are basic homework, I will learn nothing from the first module in making them and I have no time at all !). I explained all that, ask for an access since I paid for it, the only answer is NO. I DO NOT recommend this school. You will be under pressure and there's no fun in that.

If you do not have time (this is a reality when you have child and have to work in this covid situation) you will loose money and wont have the courses.

I saw lake of competence and lake of humanity. I am very sorry that I did not saw these review before so I would not waste my money and energy, it's very frustrating.

Formula Botanica is a program written by beginners, for beginners.

Lorraine Dallmeier claims that the Formula Botanica course can turn you into an “organic skincare expert formulator and international lecturer”, “an organic skincare authority, entrepreneur and lecturer”, “an organic skincare rockstar”.

All these claims are a JOKE.

Lorraine Dallmeier is not even a qualified cosmetic chemist herself.

Lorraine Dallmeier bought the Formula Botanica business and learned to make cosmetics from Star Khechara, a professional opportunist who also has no qualifications in cosmetic chemistry. Her claim to fame is writing a book about how to mash up fruit, put it on your face and she calls that cosmetics.

The blind teaching the blind.

There is a saying in internet marketing that “the pirate is king in the land of the blind” - which is maybe why so many gullible people seem to think Lorraine Dallmeier is a cosmetic chemist. And maybe that’s why Lorraine Dallmeier also seems to think that she is a cosmetic chemist.

If you take the Formula Botanica course and you try to pass yourself off as an “international lecturer” or “organic skincare authority” in the company of professional cosmetics formulators, you will soon feel embarrassed and *** by your lack of knowledge, and inaccuracies.

If you are lecturing to gullible people who don’t know anything, maybe they might think you really are a “skincare rockstar”.

The other so-called “lecturers” and “tutors” for Formula Botanica are just as unqualified: an aromatherapist, a would-be acupuncturist, and an English-History graduate who researches breast-feeding. All very nice people, I am sure, but not exactly cosmetic formulation scientists.

Lorraine Dallmeier is NOT a cosmetic chemist - or a chemist of any kind - she is a biology graduate who worked for wind farms.

Now she calls herself a “botanic skincare scientist”. With no qualifications.

She has never worked in a cosmetic laboratory, and no company would ever employ her to do so because she does not have: 1. the educational qualifications, 2. experience, 3. skills.

I have studied a few university-level cosmetic chemistry courses, but could not afford to keep studying, and I got fooled by the Formula Botanica course, thinking it was professional-level.

It is my belief that you need at the very least 10 years hands-on formulating experience before you can consider yourself qualified and experienced enough to teach others. You cannot do a six month course, and then start teaching others to become “international experts”. But this is exactly what Lorraine Dallmeier has done.

When you buy the course and pay all your money, you don’t even get full access to the course. You have to wait for them to release each stage to you, like you are some little child who cannot be trusted with the information you have paid for.

The formulations are very basic, mostly just a lot of oils mixed together. Nothing special. If you look at the products that “graduates” have made, you will see they are very basic, the kind of recipes you find in craft or kindle books. I showed some of the formulas to a university lecturer, who thought they were a JOKE.

There is a lot of incorrect and inaccurate information in the learning materials, which is obviously a refelction of lorraine Dallmeier's lack of experience.

The chocolate spa course is a cheap gimmick - there is no evidence whatsoever that applying chocolate to the face has any benefits to the skin.

Formula Botanica is a big waste of money if you think you are going to become a qualified formulator or “international lecturer”.

And please don’t waste your money going to workshops run by Formula Botanica “graduates” or “tutors”, this is another scam/sham, with amateurs pretending to be professionals.