Product Development Associate - Lip

You must be in the LA area at the time of submitting your resume, all other resumes will be rejected

About the Opportunity

Our client, a global leader in the beauty industry, is seeking a Product Development Associate to support its Color Cosmetics team, with a primary focus on the Lip category. This is an exciting opportunity for a beauty enthusiast who is passionate about makeup artistry, texture innovation, and bringing best-in-class cosmetic products to market.

Reporting to the Senior Manager, Product Development, you will partner closely with laboratories, marketing, packaging, and regulatory teams throughout the product development lifecycle. From evaluating formulas and directing shade development to identifying emerging beauty trends, you'll play an integral role in creating innovative lip products that meet the highest standards of performance, inclusivity, and consumer appeal.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, and possesses a strong eye for color, texture, and emerging beauty trends. You'll thrive in a collaborative, fast-paced environment where creativity and scientific thinking come together to develop exceptional products.

What You'll Do

• Support the development of new lip products from concept through commercialization.
• Draft detailed technical and creative product development briefs for laboratory partners, outlining performance expectations, shade direction, benchmarks, and aesthetic goals.
• Evaluate laboratory formula submissions for texture, payoff, wear, comfort, application, fragrance, and overall product performance.
• Provide detailed feedback to internal and external laboratories on formula improvements and product optimization.
• Direct shade development by recommending adjustments to undertones, pigmentation, and color matching across a broad range of skin tones to ensure inclusive shade offerings.
• Maintain organized records of all formula submissions, revisions, approvals, and feedback throughout the development process.
• Coordinate internal panel testing to evaluate product performance, comfort, application, and consumer preference.
• Conduct ongoing competitive product benchmarking and market research across the global beauty landscape.
• Monitor emerging beauty trends, viral products, social media conversations, and ingredient innovations to identify future product opportunities.
• Present trend reports, color palettes, texture innovations, and competitive insights to Product Development and Marketing teams.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Packaging, Regulatory, Marketing, and Laboratory partners to successfully launch new products.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Cosmetology, Marketing, Business, or another related scientific or creative discipline.
• 2-4 years of experience in cosmetic product development.
• Strong understanding of color cosmetics; experience evaluating cosmetic formulas and product performance.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple product development projects simultaneously.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

• Direct experience developing lip products.
• Experience within prestige beauty, cosmetics, or personal care brands.
• Beauty retail experience.
• Knowledge of professional makeup artistry and color theory.
• Experience collaborating with cosmetic laboratories and contract manufacturers.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for someone who lives and breathes beauty. You have a passion for color cosmetics, understand the nuances of texture and formula performance, and stay ahead of emerging beauty trends across social media and the marketplace.

You have a strong eye for color and are comfortable evaluating subtle differences in undertones, pigmentation, finish, and wear. You enjoy collaborating with both technical and creative teams and are equally comfortable discussing formulation details with chemists as you are presenting trend insights to marketers.

The ideal candidate is curious, proactive, highly organized, and excited to help create innovative products that delight consumers and set new standards in the beauty industry.

Additional Information

• Reports to the Senior Manager, Product Development.
• Primary focus on the Lip category within Color Cosmetics.
• Requires excellent visual color perception (successful completion of a color vision assessment may be required).
• Opportunity to work closely with leading laboratories and cross-functional partners throughout the entire product development lifecycle.
• Ideal for candidates who are passionate about beauty trends, product innovation, and creating inclusive, high-performing cosmetic products.

**About Aquent Talent:**

Aquent Talent connects the best talent in marketing, creative, and design with the world's biggest brands.
Our eligible talent get access to amazing benefits like subsidized health, vision, and dental plans, paid sick leave, and retirement plans with a match. We also offer free online training through Aquent Gymnasium. More information on our awesome benefits!
Aquent is an equal-opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. We're about creating an inclusive environment-one where different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are valued, and everyone can contribute, grow their careers, and thrive.

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