You completed an internship that could reach the general public. You worked as a formulations engineer at Estee Lauder in the makeup research/product development division. What does that division do?
The makeup research/product development division at Estée Lauder is responsible for developing and improving cosmetic products, such as foundations, concealers, and other makeup formulations. The makeup lab is determined to use their creativity to create high quality products that meet consumer demands in terms of performance appearance and consistency while also adhering to safety standards, industry regulations, and sustainability goals.
Where was the job located? Were you near home in Pittsburgh?
The job was located on Long Island, specifically Melville, New York. Although not super close to home, I loved the location because it was the perfect distance between New York City and the beaches on Long Island, so I was able to explore both during my time this summer when I was not working.
What responsibilities did you have?
As an intern, I was given a project that had to do with color theory, specifically in shade matching a reformulation of one of Estee Lauder's top selling foundations. The goal was to use and optimize a new piece of color property detecting technology in the lab, in order to maintain the previous formulation of the product's consistency and appeal with the reformulation. I also had the opportunity to shadow engineers and scientists in order to learn how to make liquid emulsions of foundation and concealers and scale them up to mass production. Another great opportunity that I had was to plan and run a creative event with my intern colleagues to raise money for the Estee Lauder Breast Cancer Campaign, which was such an amazing experience.
Can you talk about a 'normal' work day? How long were your hours? How long did you work there? Throughout the summer?
A normal work day for me was 9 to 5 with most time spent either in the lab formulating foundation shades, or at my desk organizing and analyzing the data that I collected. Like I said before, I also had the opportunity to shadow other projects in my own department as well as engineers and scientists in other departments including the scale up lab and skin care formulation. The program was 12 weeks total which gave me a good amount of time to come to meaningful conclusions with my project as well as explore and network within other parts of R&D.
Were there other college students working with you or were they in other parts of the business?
In my program specifically, there were about 20 students ranging from rising sophomores to rising graduate students like myself. Some students in my program had projects that allowed them to travel between Long Island and New York City offices throughout the week which was really cool. The program was titled "R&D and Packaging STEM Summer Internship" so we were mostly engineering, biology, chemistry, and computer science majors among others relating to the program title. My roommate for the summer was a graphic design major who worked in the packaging department in Long Island City.
Did you work with one particular scientist?
I was directly assigned a manager, a mentor, and two senior scientists to help me with anything that I needed throughout the summer. All four of these people were super supportive and helpful during my experience along with all of the people in the makeup lab. The leads for the Breast Cancer Campaign were also amazing and supportive resources to have in the company and their jobs ranged throughout different departments across R&D.
How did you find out about the internship? What made it appealing to pursue?
I found the internship online when searching for cosmetic formulation internships for engineers. I was immediately inclined to apply to the program when I discovered it online because it is a company that is rooted in history and very female empowering. I also love the products from their brands and working for their research and development was an opportunity that I could not pass on.
What was the application process like?
I applied for the program through the Estee Lauder website and submitted my resume and a cover letter along with the other standard application questions. The interview process was a few interviews with HR and scientists within the company.
Which courses did you take that prepared you the best for the internship?
I would say that the courses with specific content that mainly helped with this internship were chemistry, organic chemistry, and fluid dynamics. I also believe that all of my courses in the chemical engineering curriculum have taught me how to effectively problem solve, which is a skill that translates to all areas of work and outside life.
When the internship ended, what did you feel you learned?
I specifically learned a lot about cosmetic formulation and color theory as well as understanding the importance of consistency and creativity in product development. This was my first time working in an industrial R&D setting so I gained a lot of knowledge into how a large company operates particularly in terms of all of the steps that go into putting a product out on the shelf from start to end. Working this internship was very eye opening for me as it was a job that I really could see myself making a difference in. One thing that I really appreciated about the company and everyone that worked there was they made me feel welcomed, supported, and gave me the opportunity to make an impact on my own with my project.
You had a strong season in field hockey in 2023, earning all-league and all-region honors. In your last two years, you totaled 14 goals and 14 assists (7 & 7 each year). You were selected to the NFHCA Senior Team. How were you able to balance all of your academic work and excel in field hockey?
Throughout my college experience I definitely grew to adapt to the school - athletics balance. At first it took me a little bit of time to organize myself in order to excel in both, but once I was able to discover what worked for me, It was pretty smooth sailing from there. Field hockey has and continues to be such a positive outlet in my life. I find that when I am passionate about what I am doing whether that be in athletics or academics, there will always be time for it.
