stevepasca

Expert Cosmetic Formulation Pharmacist

Beauty Deals Unit • Freelance

Jun 2026 - Present • 2 mos

Apex Formulation Labs / Self-Employed Contract Scientist * Formulation Development: Spearheaded the research and development of over 150+ custom commercial formulations across skincare, haircare, eyecare, and nail care sectors. Compliance & Safety: Conducted extensive raw material auditing, safety assessments, and pH/stability testing to align all formulas with FDA, EU, and global cosmetic compliance standards. Client Consultation: Partnered directly with indie beauty brands, clean-beauty startups, and established wellness companies to translate initial concept briefs into scalable, production-ready master batches. Research & Development Pharmacist PharmaCare Laboratories * Active Ingredient Synergy: Specialized in compounding and optimizing the delivery systems of active ingredients (such as retinoids, stabilized Vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and peptides) for maximum topical efficacy and minimal skin irritation. Method Optimization: Drafted standard operating procedures (SOPs) and step-by-step manufacturing methods to ensure seamless scaling from small-scale laboratory batches to large-scale contract manufacturing. Key Achievements Bestselling Formulations: Successfully formulated 3 separate skincare lines that went on to become top-selling products for indie beauty brands on Amazon and Shopify. Green Chemistry Excellence: Developed a proprietary, 100% plant-based preservation system for organic brands looking to eliminate traditional parabens and phenoxyethanol. Global Compliance Track Record: Achieved a 100% pass rate for formulas undergoing independent third-party stability and microbial challenge testing. Efficient Scaling: Reduced production failure rates for small-business clients by 35% by providing highly precise, phase-by-phase compounding instructions.