Innovating ‘beyond dreams’: IFSCC opens its doors

The International Federation of the Society of Cosmetics Chemists has opened its doors for this years edition of its annual congress, inviting delegates to look ‘beyond dreams into new frontiers’.

The 29th edition of the annual event runs from 31 October to 2 November this week, and is being held in Orlando, Florida - the congress is held in the US only once every 10 years. It comes at a time when the IFSCC has just moved its head offices from the UK across to the States.

What’s happening at the event?

The event is running through an exciting programme of speakers in its scientific sessions and Innotech Zone, with an impressive array of companies - from suppliers to formulators - exhibiting their latest innovations in a poster zone.

The programme is studded with eight keynote speakers from industry leaders and experts, and also features 74 podium presentations, over 300 posters and a two day exhibition.

It is situated within the Disney World area, with organisers noting this is a deliberate attempt to reflect the congress’s theme in its surroundings: IFSCC president, Amy Wyatt, stated: “Perhaps no place embodies the spirit of ‘Inspire, Imagine, Innovate’ better than Disney World.”

Highlights: a roundup

Some of the event’s most notable speakers include: Carl Haney, executive vice president of global R&D at Estée Lauder, who spoke on the first day on the topic of innovating for the future, Robert Sayre, Ph.D., who spoke on the limits of SPF testing and UV risk, Catherine Ehrenberger, VP for R&D and quality assurance at Amway, and Guive Balooch, global VP of L’Oréal Technology Incubator.

The programme spans twelve key topics, with a range of speakers from a variety of companies taking to the podium to address the congress on each. These topics are:

  • Emerging market trends & insights
  • Delivery systems & cosmetics vehicles
  • Sun protection & beyond
  • Inspired by nature: biomimicry
  • Beauty with the magic of colours
  • The balancing act: regulatory compliance vs innovation
  • Sustainability: cosmetics for a greener future
  • The science of fragrances and marketing to the senses
  • Skin biology
  • Hair care technology
  • Microbiome
  • Beauty has no borders

“The IFSCC is the only global organization dedicated to the science and scientists of cosmetics,” asserts Philipe Auderset, IFSCC president 2015-2016. “Nowhere else will you find the breadth, depth, and quality of science presented as IFSCC Congresses and Conferences.”