Walker Formulation Academy is a brand-new formulation school. To show you how we teach, our Golden Honey foaming sugar scrub course is free while we launch — it will become a paid course later. Founding students save up to 34% on our paid courses.
Your First Cream
Nine lessons on how an emulsion actually works — from the four jobs of a formula to making your first moisturiser in the lab and designing your own, with a UK-based cosmetic chemist.
First-stream price until 3 December • Instant access • Learn at your own pace
What you'll get on the course
Your first face moisturiser
You make a real face moisturiser yourself — a professional oil-in-water formula with a peptide, glycerin and light emollients
Core knowledge
How a formula is built: the four jobs of every ingredient, percentages and phases, and what holds an oil-in-water emulsion together
Understanding ingredients
What each component in the formula does — water phase, oil phase, emulsifier, preservative, actives — and how to design your own formula from a brief
Course chat
A course chat in your student account — ask questions, share your results and connect with fellow formulators
Clarity
You'll work out whether you'd like to grow in cosmetic formulation and carry on learning
The course isn't a template. You make one professional emulsion — and lesson 9 shows you how to design an emulsion of your own from a brief.
How the course works
Sign-up
- •Pay securely by card
- •Lesson 1 opens straight away — each next lesson opens when you pass the short quiz
- •Learn at your own pace
Learning
- •9 video lessons, 16–54 minutes each
- •Theory, a full lab session and designing your own formula
- •A course chat in your student account for questions
Result
- •Your own face moisturiser, made by you
- •A short quiz after every lesson
- •Decide whether to carry on learning
⏰ The course isn't tied to dates. Start any day — even today!
Course programme
9 lessons • Lessons 1–7 theory, lesson 8 practice in the lab, lesson 9 your own formula • 4.5+ hours of video
Structural, supportive, functional or marketing — ask every ingredient what its job is, and any INCI list stops being a wall of Latin.
The layers of the skin, the stratum corneum as “bricks and mortar”, natural moisturising factor and water loss — and what a cream can and cannot change.
Percent by weight, “q.s.” and “to 100”, scaling a batch, phase letters, the formula skeleton, the kit you need and the batch record.
Why oil and water separate, what an emulsifier actually is, what HLB can and cannot tell you, and the ways an emulsion fails.
Why only distilled or deionised water, water activity, humectants, the chelator and xanthan gum — and the order of addition and heating.
The emulsifier, consistency factor and emollients, designing the skin feel, heat-and-hold and bringing the two phases together.
What goes in below 40 °C and why: the preservative, heat-sensitive actives, fragrance, the pH check and the finishing steps.
The whole process end to end, in real time: weighing, heating, emulsifying, cooling, pH and the finished moisturiser.
Audit any recipe, troubleshoot any oil-in-water emulsion, and write your own formula from a brief — no recipe needed.
A short quiz after every lesson to reinforce the material.
Who the course is for
Complete beginner
You've never made cosmetics but want to give it a go. The course is designed just for you — we start from scratch.
Natural-living enthusiast
You care about what's in your cosmetics and want to know exactly what you put on your skin.
Looking for a new hobby
You love making things by hand. Formulating could be your next passion — and this is where it starts.
Thinking about a business
You're considering natural cosmetics as a business. This course is the shortest way to find out whether it suits you.
Your teacher
Oksana Walker
Course teacher, co-founder of Walker Formulation Academy
Oksana is a practising cosmetic chemist with international certifications. Author of the “Cosmetic Chemistry” course and of this programme. She explains complex things in simple terms — no fluff and no mysticism.
Why join the first stream?
Your First Cream is open now. The first stream joins at the starting price — the course, the lessons and the lab session are the same for everyone.
First-stream price £97 until 3 December — then it rises to £147
Start straight away and learn at your own pace — no fixed dates; each lesson opens when you pass the quiz on the one before
Notes, a lesson-8 formula you can make at home and a short quiz after every lesson
A convenient way to learn
Any device
Watch on your phone, tablet or computer
16–54 minutes
Nine video lessons with notes and a short quiz after each one
No fixed dates
Start any day and learn at your own pace — lessons open one after another
Course chat
Ask questions in the course chat in your student account
What's next?
Your First Cream is the first step. If you enjoy formulating, here’s what lies ahead:
Your First Cream
🔥 you are hereYour first cream, an intro to the basics
Formulation Foundation
14 lessons, 6 products, certificate
Cosmetic chemistry
6 modules, 25 products, exam
Specialisations
Men's skincare, massage and more
Walker Formulation Academy Club
AI assistant, webinars, community
You're NOT obliged to continue. But if formulating hooks you — we know where to take you next.
Formulation Foundation
- • 14 lessons
- • 6 products
- • Certificate
The next step after Your First Cream
Learn moreFrequently asked questions
Your First Cream costs £97 for the first stream and £147 once the first stream closes. You pay once by card and get instant access to all nine lessons.
No. The course is designed for absolute beginners: lesson 1 starts from what each ingredient in a cream is for, and every step is explained.
The full list is in lesson 3 (the kit) and in lessons 5–7, phase by phase. The ingredients are sold by specialist suppliers for home formulators; a basic starter kit costs about £20–30.
Nine video lessons of 16–54 minutes each — over four and a half hours of video, plus notes and a short quiz after every lesson. Lessons 1–7 are theory, lesson 8 is a practical session in the lab and lesson 9 shows how to design your own formula. You learn at your own pace.
Your access to all nine lessons is guaranteed for one year from the day you buy, and we extend it on request — just email [email protected]. Learn at your own pace and come back to any lesson whenever you need it.
In the course chat in your student account — you can also share your results there and talk to other students.
You will make your first face cream using a professional oil-in-water formula — and you will know why every ingredient is there, how to fix a batch that goes wrong and how to write a formula of your own.
No. This course is a standalone product. You are not obligated to buy anything. However, if you wish to continue, we offer the “Formulation Foundation” and “Cosmetic Chemistry” courses.
Yes. The lessons, notes and quizzes work on any device — phone, tablet or computer — and the player has subtitles in English and five other languages.
Start learning right now
First-stream price until 3 December — all 9 lessons for £97 instead of £147
9 lessons • Instant access • The result — your own moisturiser
Make your first moisturiser
9 lessons • First stream £97 • Full price £147
First stream £97 · full price £147
The first-stream price of £97 runs until 3 December 2026; after that the course costs £147. Secure card payment, instant access.
Even if you are still unsure — start with lesson 1 today. The first-stream price ends on 3 December.
Join the course