Claire Wagman: Formulation scientist at Unilever

By 2012-01-01T13:36:00

Cartoon scientist, female, long hair, clip board

Source: © Nikulina Tatiana

Clare works on improving the formulation of hair care products. She tells Josh Howgego what it’s like to work on products that are seen on supermarket shelves

A career in chemistry might be challenging and intriguing but few would consider it glamorous. Claire Wagman’s career could be the exception. As a formulation scientist at Unilever, Claire is responsible for working out the best proportions of different ingredients in hair care products like shampoos, gels and styling products. Each formulation has to be just right for its purpose – to cling to hair just the right amount to leave it shiny but not so much as to give a feeling of stickiness. It’s sometimes a tough balance to maintain but it is Claire’s job to make it happen.

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