Students Interested in Cosmetic Science Convene at Spelman College’s Second Annual Black Beauty STEMinist Lab Intensive

Industry Experts, Business Owners and Students from Across the Country Joined Together for Innovation and Education

Spelman College’s cosmetic science program recently hosted its second annual Black Beauty STEMinist Lab Intensive, a one-week program where students from across the country are introduced to product formulation, networking opportunities and workshops.

The lab intensive, funded by The Estée Lauder Companies Charitable Foundation, is an extension of Spelman’s new cosmetic science program that launched in 2024. The event is a part of a larger effort to introduce Black girls and women to cosmetic science.

The Black Beauty STEMinist Lab Intensive is more than a summer program; it’s an opportunity that reimagines who leads and innovates in the beauty and personal care space,” said Dr. Leyte Winfield, director of the cosmetic science program at Spelman. “This year, we welcomed 39 brilliant scholars and interns from 28 institutions, each bringing their unique perspectives to the lab and contributing to the development of their peers."

"Cosmetic science presents a remarkable opportunity to reimagine career paths for women and girls passionate about STEM. However, they continue to encounter barriers to accessing the essential education needed to turn this vision into reality," said Nancy Mahon, chief sustainability officer of The Estée Lauder Companies and head of The Estée Lauder Companies Charitable Foundation. "Our partnership with Spelman College reflects our commitment to breaking these barriers by investing in partnerships that provide access to education and opportunities. We are honored to support the Black Beauty STEMinist Lab Intensive for the second consecutive year, forging pathways to opportunity for the next generation of innovators."

Over the course of the week, dozens of students formulated serums, clarifying shampoos, make-up products, and more under the guidance of industry professionals and educators. For many of the attendees, the lab intensive is a bridge that connects their passions of aesthetics, self-care and science.

“This experience exposed me to a lot of opportunities that I didn’t know about prior to coming here. Initially, I came in thinking I had to go down a particular track within medicine,” said Spelman student Katilyn Viers, C’2027. “Coming here and seeing all the possibilities within the cosmetic career field, I see there are a lot of options.”

Following graduation, Viers plans to earn her medical degree and become a dermatologist. “I’ll be able to include the information that I’m learning here into my practice by formulating my own skincare products that I can share with my patients.”

For Mia Graham-Perez, a biology major who attends Bethune-Cookman University, the lab intensive will help inform her own product line of care packages made for women who have experienced miscarriages.

“I want to make sure I’m formulating something that will really help them. I’m being picky because I don’t want to put just anything in the box,” said Graham-Perez. “I want to make sure the experience is very personalized and that they get the care that they need.”

The cosmetic science program was initially launched in 2023 as an eSpelman online certificate. Ja’Kelli Bowman, a licensed esthetician, entrepreneur, and eSpelman student studying cosmetic science, attended the inaugural Black Beauty STEMinist Summit last year. She returned this year for the lab intensive to gain a deeper insight into the formulas she uses in her company’s products.

After I get done with this program, I’ll be flying out to go work alongside a chemist in a lab to develop my own formulas,” said Bowman, whose company recently switched from privately sourced products to personally created products – an accomplishment she said is a direct result of the Black Beauty STEMinist event. “This has truly been a 360 experience, and I’m so excited about what opportunities have been able to come out of being at the summit and now the summer lab intensive.”