Born in Shrirampur, near Mumbai, Dr Archana Gogte is a cosmetic dentist who runs her own practice in Pune, a city renowned as one of India’s educational hubs. Sadly, in 2016, she lost her mother to pancreatic cancer, and it was this event that would change her life forever.
Archana decided to find out more about healthy living and using natural products in everyday life.
Why Dr Achana decided to use natural skincare products
Her mother was of a generation that Archana affectionately describes as “typically old-fashioned”, in that she lived a simple life, with no vices, eating healthy food and exercising regularly. So what, Archana contemplated, could have had an affect on her health and wellbeing?
During her mother’s illness, Archana started to conduct her own research; reading and studying about what goes into products we use every day. She soon came across articles on harmful chemicals in products, like our article, 8 ingredients to detox from your skincare routine, that our bodies absorb into the skin on a daily basis.
This information was the turning point for her, and she made the decision to start to use only natural products in her skincare routine.
But there was a problem; she struggled to source the type of skincare products she was looking for and found there was a lack of availability in India.
She realised there was only one way to be sure her skincare products were all natural. She would have to make them herself.
Dr Achana’s search for the right expert tuition in natural skincare formulation
She found a local hands-on course for making natural skincare products, and that class taught her how to make a few body care products. But she felt she needed more knowledge and wanted to be sure she had information that was correct. That’s when Archana started looking for courses online.
She found the School of Natural Skincare and enrolled in the Advanced Certificate in High Performance Serum Formulation. Archana has now been making her own natural skincare products and using them for more than a year.
I spent a long time trying to find good training, and I think the School of Natural Skincare is one of the best courses online.
As a cosmetic dentist with her own private practice, Archana had limited time and so she focused on making natural skincare products for herself, family and friends.
The results are amazing, not to mention the satisfaction of making it yourself and knowing what goes into the skincare products.
But now, seeing the demand, she’s decided it’s time to take it to the next level, and has set up her own company to start making all natural skincare products in greater volume.
Archana took some time out of her very busy schedule to talk to us.
Q: What has been your best experience of formulating your own natural skincare products?
I am 49 years old and a practicing cosmetic dentist, so initially doing something creative excited me a lot.
After I enrolled in the School of Natural Skincare, I got more knowledge and my confidence increased.
That’s when I realized the difference I could make by going natural and creating awareness in my community. This made me want to give more time to my new venture, and I am now really enjoying making and using the natural skincare products I have created!
Q: Have you got any tips for aspiring natural cosmetic formulators that are about to start formulating natural skincare products?
Ever since I realized the value and importance of natural skincare products, I have not stopped talking about it! I encourage people to make their own natural skincare products, but to get the proper knowledge first.
It doesn’t matter what your age is when you start something new once you realize that it will bring a good and healthy change in your life, your family’s life and the community at large.
Q: Why did you decide to study with us?
When I first found the course I went through the syllabus and realized you have the smallest details covered in your course! I was looking for more knowledge on ingredients and you have it covered very well and in depth.
Your course is a whole package to start a new business and I actually got the confidence once I did this course to go ahead with my company.
You will be a big part of my success story!
Q: What’s important for you in terms of the natural skincare products you make and use?
My skincare products are 100% natural, vegan and cruelty-free, with no products tested on animals (if you want to find out more about formulating natural vegan skincare products, read our article How to formulate vegan skin care products: ethical and good for business).
I work with local raw materials like oils, butters and extracts, and try to eliminate plastic in all my packaging (maybe just 1 or 2% where I can’t avoid it, like the cap of the glass bottles).
I also try to use handmade packaging and products where I can, to provide opportunities to local women, empowering them through my business.
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share?
It feels nice to be a part of your community, and reading the queries on Facebook helps a lot. You have a very well organized and wonderful course. I am grateful for getting the opportunity to study natural formulation through your school. Thank you!
What’s interesting about Dr Achana is that despite her knowledge of formulation and scientific background, she still took it upon herself to find the correct tuition from qualified experts in this field. This is such an important part of becoming professional in your hobby and passion for natural cosmetics and Dr Achana understood that in order to ensure she has all the correct knowledge, information and practical skill, she needed to seek experts to help her.
If you want to learn anything and become professional in your field – whether you want to pursue a career in that field or maintain a hobby – it is important to learn from experts. If you want to study aromatherapy, you seek instruction from qualified professionals in aromatherapy. If you want to learn about herbalism or herbal medicine, you seek expert guidance and tuition from a qualified herbal practitioner. The same goes for any professional, skill or practice and most definitely for cosmetics.
Our Diploma in Natural Skincare Formulation is a complete tuition that teaches students everything they need to know to design and develop their own complete range of natural & organic skincare products for themselves or to sell. Our Advanced Certificate in High-Performance Serum Formulation takes that instruction to the next level with the introduction of advanced high-performance ingredients and formulating techniques.
Both courses have been created by industry professionals and qualified experts and with the courses, students also have access to course tutors a vibrant online student & graduate community. There’s so much to learn from each other and we’re excited to extend the opportunity to everyone around the world through our state of the art, easy to use, online learning platform.
Students study from wherever they are in the world, at their own pace and in their own time.
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