'Accidental Cosmetic Chemist' Alum's Formula for Success Combines Skin Care, Celebrity Events and Student Mentorship

Ron Robinson '87, founder and CEO of BeautyStat, brought biochemistry major Rachel Amirova to a product launch event in the Hamptons.

Ron Robinson '87, founder and CEO of cosmetics company BeautyStat, was on the premed track as a chemistry student at Adelphi University. He even spent a year in medical school. But he said it wasn't until he was hired as a cosmetic chemist for Estée Lauder's Clinique brand in Melville, New York, that he became "an accidental cosmetic chemist."

Until then, he had no idea there was a world of science and chemistry behind developing and creating beauty products. "It was to my surprise that this world existed, and it found me, and it's been my passion ever since," Robinson said.

He continued as a cosmetic chemist and product development executive for companies including Lancôme, Revlon, Avon and L'Oréal. In 2008, he founded BeautyStat as a blog to help consumers get information about skincare products. Then, in 2018, he launched his own line of skin care products, BeautyStat.

A Field With Appeal for Women in STEM

According to Robinson, cosmetic chemistry is a growing field that can appeal to women in STEM. That's why he recently reached out to Adelphi's Department of Chemistry to provide a valuable opportunity for a current female chemistry student.

On July 30, he launched his ninth product, Triple-Plump Coconut Milk Serum, at an event in Hampton Bays, New York, co-hosted by Bethenny Frankel, an entrepreneur who created the Skinnygirl brand and was one of the original cast members of The Real Housewives of New York City. And to help with a demonstration, there was Rachel Amirova, an Honors College student and biochemistry major who will be a junior this fall.

Robinson, who also serves on the University's marketing and communications advisory board, said his experience as a premed student who eventually chose a different career path was one of the reasons he offered this opportunity to a current student.

"Social media has brought an awareness of potential careers to the forefront. I think more can be done to present cosmetics and cosmetic chemistry as an option for science students," he said. "The other part is the fact that I love to give back and provide mentorship for the next generation."

Excited to Learn More

Amirova said that, when she spoke with Robinson, she connected to his story. "I'm on a premed track, but I've never really thought too much about cosmetic chemistry. I thought it was really interesting and I definitely wanted to learn more about it."

She initially met Robinson over Zoom and was given some background on the new product. "There's so much chemistry involved in skin care, but I never really thought about it," she said. "Ron talked about vitamin C and its oxidation and how that influences his skin care line. I'm really excited to further my chemistry knowledge on that."

Robinson, who is celebrating his 34th year in the industry, said he wanted to have an in-person event to launch his new product and that Frankel was a natural partner.

"We specifically wanted to do this with a celebrity influencer who happens to love our products organically. Bethenny Frankel has been a big proponent of the brand. She's also a very successful entrepreneur who has had many successful businesses. She calls herself the 'accidental influencer.' So it seemed like a really good fit to partner with her. We wanted a select group of beauty editors, as well as influencers and content creators and a chemistry student, to join us at the launch."

Amirova, who has been participating in the McDonell Summer Fellows Program, an eight-week summer program that supports undergraduate student research, said she was thankful for the opportunity.

"The event was great," Amirova said. "It's clear that Ron is very knowledgeable on the science that goes into the products he makes, and it was exciting to see how everything came together. There were so many components that went into this bottle of serum that I would have never thought about, such as the design, the marketing, the formula production and so much more."

Robinson said that after this event he'll head back to the lab to develop "the next new product that's going to make a difference for people's skin." But he also hopes to continue to connect with Adelphi students.

"One of my passions is the ability to give back and to educate as much as I can," he said. "I hope this event can become a regular way to introduce students to my world."