The personal care industry thrives on constant innovation, from clean beauty trends to biotech-driven actives and sustainable formulations. Research and Development (R&D) professionals are at the heart of this transformation, driving product launches that meet both consumer expectations and regulatory requirements.

Yet finding and retaining the right R&D talent has become a major challenge for companies across Europe. Many employers are turning to specialist personal care recruiters in Europe to bridge the gap, ensuring they can access formulation chemists, regulatory scientists, and innovation managers with the skills needed to keep pace with consumer demand and regulatory requirements.

Yet across Europe, companies are struggling to recruit and retain personal care R&D talent. A shortage of formulation chemists, rising compliance demands, and competition from other industries are making it harder than ever to secure the right scientists.

Innovation at Speed

Consumer expectations are evolving rapidly. Shoppers want:

• Faster launches of skincare and haircare products

• Personalised formulations that match lifestyle and skin biology

• Sustainable and “clean” labels backed by science

For R&D teams, this means shorter product development cycles, with chemists under pressure to deliver multiple formulations in record time. Recruiting professionals who can balance creativity with speed-to-market is now critical.

Regulatory Complexity

Innovation cannot come at the expense of compliance. Companies must navigate:

• EU Cosmetic Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009

• Claims substantiation and efficacy testing

• Safety assessments and toxicology reports

This regulatory landscape requires R&D hires with technical expertise in compliance as well as formulation skills — making the talent pool even narrower.

Shortage of Formulation Scientists

Universities across Europe are producing fewer specialist formulation chemists. Instead, graduates often pursue broader chemistry or pharmaceutical pathways. As a result:

• Employers face a shrinking candidate pipeline

• Mid-to-senior level chemists are in high demand, with salaries rising

• Knowledge transfer is at risk as experienced chemists retire

This shortage is one of the most urgent recruitment challenges in the personal care sector.

Competition for Cross-Industry Skills

The skills needed in personal care R&D — such as expertise in emulsions, surfactants, rheology, or skin biology — are also in demand across:

• Pharmaceuticals (topical drug delivery, dermo-cosmetics)

• Biotech (bioactive ingredients, tissue culture actives)

• Food & AgTech (emulsion systems, protein formulations)

This creates a talent tug-of-war, where personal care brands must compete against higher-paying industries for the same scientists.

Role of Specialist Recruiters

Generalist recruitment approaches often fail in such a technical and competitive market. Specialist recruiters like Witan Search add value by:

• Accessing passive candidates not visible on job boards

• Building networks across personal care, chemicals, and biotech

• Understanding the nuances of formulation science, regulations, and market trends

• Delivering shortlists quickly, reducing the risk of project delays

By combining market insight with sector expertise, specialist recruiters bridge the gap between hiring challenges and successful placements.

Why this matters in recruitment

The distinction between base oils and additives directly impacts the skills and profiles employers look for:

• Base oil companies often recruit engineers, refinery experts, and professionals experienced in supply chain and commodity trading.

• Additives companies look for chemists, formulation scientists, and technical sales managers with deep knowledge of performance chemistry.

Hiring managers who don’t fully understand this divide risk mismatched hires. A candidate skilled in additive formulation won’t necessarily thrive in a base oil supply chain role and vice versa.