How Graduate Shamola Jaiyeoba Went from Passion to Publication | MS Cosmetic Science

For students in the Master of Science in Cosmetic Science program, their capstone is the final hurdle that stands between them and graduation. It’s the culmination of their education, and it’s often the largest project they’ve tackled as part of their degree program. In other words, it’s normal to feel intimidated by your capstone! 

But there’s good news: your capstone doesn’t have to be scary. In fact, for Spring 2025 graduate Shamola Jaiyeoba, her capstone was an opportunity to dive into one of her passions and conduct further research on a less-researched topic. Beginning in the proposal phase, Shamola analyzed the management of diaper dermatitis (or diaper rash) in neonates, infants, and young children. Best of all, Shamola’s capstone was even selected for publication—a huge milestone for any researcher!

If you’re considering enrolling in the Cosmetic Science program soon, you may have some questions and lingering fears. By looking at the capstone course sequence and one student’s journey from proposal to publication, you’ll see what makes this an incredible opportunity.

What Is a Master of Science in Cosmetic Science?

As one of the oldest cosmetic science programs in the country, UC’s MS in Cosmetic Science educates students on using raw materials to develop, formulate, and evaluate pharmaceutical products for safety and quality. Offered through the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy, this 100% online program prepares students for careers in both cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies.  Some of these career options include:

• • Product development
  • Clinical testing and instrumentation

• Cosmetic technology
• Skin care and fragrance formulation
• Quality assurance/control

An Overview of the Cosmetic Science Capstone

For Cosmetic Science students, the capstone project acts as the culmination of their master’s degrees. The capstone requires students to complete a comprehensive evaluation of a topic pertaining to cosmetic science or OTC drug development. At the end of the capstone process, students give an open oral presentation and may submit their finished capstone paper for publication if desired.

While this may sound daunting, the capstone project being spread across a three-course sequence makes it much easier to manage. Let’s break down each of the capstone courses and look at how Shamola tackled each step of her project.

Cosmetic Science Capstone I (PCEU 8180)

In Cosmetic Science Capstone I, students receive foundational instruction in how to research a topic. From conducting literature reviews to organizing acquired information, from using proper citation formats to technical writing and paper structure—this course runs the gamut of skills that students will need to complete their capstones. Students will choose and sharpen their capstone research topic along with being assigned a faculty mentor who will guide them throughout their project. Both lectures and one-on-one consolations are crucial to this first phase of the research and development process.

What did Capstone I look like for Shamola? It all started with her interest in infant health, specifically the challenges associated with neonatal skin. Her personal experience treating diaper dermatitis (DD) in neonates motivated her to delve into the topic. “Especially in premature babies, the skin is always still undergoing critical stages of development,” Shamola explains. “And this vulnerability actually makes this population particularly susceptible to conditions like DD.” Throughout this course, she successfully honed her research topic into a concise capstone proposal.

In the initial research phase, Shamola’s first observation was how limited the number of studies on the topic was. The 29 available studies covered DD management in twelve countries and, of particular interest to Shamola, included research on 852 infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. Because studies varied in length, design, and assessment methods, it was difficult to “comprehensively compare treatment efficacies.” Despite these limitations, Shamola found three studies that provided data on DD in infants with melanin-rich skin, her original research interest.

Cosmetic Science Capstone II (PCEO 8185)

Cosmetic Science Capstone II facilitates further research pertaining to the student’s capstone topic. Along with drawing from scientific publications and other information sources, students may also develop their own surveys or experimental methods for collecting data. At this stage in the process, students work closely with their faculty mentor to compile their data into a detailed outline which they orally present for their faculty mentor, a course coordinator, and an additional faculty member.

At this stage, Shamola continued to develop her project. After the challenges she faced in finding literature that matched her research topic, she leaned heavily on her mentors and faculty, who assisted with synthesizing and providing direction for her research. “The process basically pushed me to find ways to structure my statement and my research proposal,” Shamola says, “knowing full well that I might not be able to answer my original research question.” These setbacks ended up being a catalyst for Shamola to keep researching until she had “exhausted her search.”

This step in the process is key; by fleshing out their outline and references, students become prepared to write their final, polished capstone paper. She spoke of her research proposal as a “foundational anchor” upon which she kept building. “That was what helped me when I went through this process of learning how to critically review scientific information, find the common problem statements in research articles I gathered, and present summaries of findings to my advisor during our meetings.”

Cosmetic Science Capstone III (PCEU 8190)

Once students reach Cosmetic Science Capstone III, everything about the capstone process finally comes together. Throughout this course, students prepare a formal paper based on their capstone research and outline from the previous course. Here, the student’s extensive research process meets the technical writing and communication skills they’ve developed through their degree program. Once the student completes their paper, the capstone sequence culminates in an online oral presentation. This allows the student to showcase their project, research methods, and findings for their mentor, capstone coordinators, and other faculty members and students.

During the final capstone course, Shamola experienced immense growth through completing her polished capstone paper and preparing for her thesis defense. In addition, she also submitted an application for a student poster presentation during this semester. When given a 3000-word limit on her application, Shamola further developed her ability to write in a concise, to-the-point style.

The cherry on top came during April 2025, in which Shamola’s capstone paper was accepted for publication. You can read it on this webpage through the Journal of Tissue Viability. She described this as a “huge bonus,” though it wasn’t something she’d expected while working on her project. “I’m really excited about it, because it made me realize that people do want to learn more about this,” Shamola shares. “People want to hear what I have to say, and what we found was just too good to not share.”

Shamola’s Capstone Advice to Students

While your capstone isn’t anything to fear, it is a massive undertaking and not without its challenges. Shamola faced several setbacks throughout the capstone sequence, from a lack of existing research on her topic to improving her technical writing abilities. Nevertheless, she overcame these challenges and ended up taking her capstone project all the way to the published level.

“The intimidation is real, and that’s where the faculty helps,” Shamola says. “Get in touch with faculty. It helps to know that they’re invested in you—and having one-on-one contact helps you shape your capstone into what you want.”

Shamola also offered several pieces of advice to future and current capstone students:

1. Start thinking early on what you’d like to do for your capstone. When choosing her research topic, Shamola drew upon personal experience as well as earlier coursework that fascinated her. That isn’t to say that you won’t change or further refine your topic once you officially begin your capstone experience. However, having an idea as early as possible provides you with additional time to research and hone your topic.
2. Take chances and start collecting your own resources. Shamola suggests subscribing to scientific journals and immersing yourself in what’s already been published. “Even today, I still get notifications from the journals I signed up for,” Shamola adds. “The week before I did my capstone presentation, there was a particular ingredient I was looking for scientific clinical data on about diaper skin that wasn’t reported. Then a paper came out, and I was able to add it to the publication even though it wasn’t included originally.”
3. Stay on your own timeline. When Shamola was concerned about how long her capstone would take to finish, her mentor shared these words of wisdom: “Your capstone takes as long as it takes.” Similarly, Shamola wants to encourage students to go at their own pace. She found that the faculty’s investment took the pressure off, reminding her that they wanted her to succeed.

Inspired by Shamola’s Story? Contact UC Today and Earn Your Master’s in Cosmetic Science 

Shamola’s journey in the MS in Cosmetic Science is an inspiring story of perseverance, dedication, and passion. She says, “I know it’s intimidating, but you can do it! If you set your mind to it, stay focused on your research goals, and get the help you need, you’ll find that everyone is cheering you along!” Now that she’s a Bearcat Alum, we can’t wait to see where she takes her career next.

Has Shamola’s story inspired you to pursue your own dreams in the cosmetic science field? If you’re excited to enroll in the capstone course sequence, then it’s time to take the next step toward your master’s degree. You can start today by contacting your personalized Enrollment Services Advisor. And who knows? You could take your capstone from proposal to publication next!