The International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists
IFSCC
Home Page
About the IFSCC
About KOSMET
Member Societies
IFSCC Awards
IFSCC News/Updates
Meetings
Conferences
Benefactors
Publications
{short description of image} Educational
Programs
Sites of Interest
Contact Us
ABOUT THE IFSCC

Click for A History of the IFSCC

Click for IFSCC Activities

Click for IFSCC Governance

Click for IFSCC Press release

Click for IFSCC Past Presidents


A Brief History of the IFSCC

The IFSCC is a truly a worldwide federation dedicated to international cooperation in cosmetic science and technology. Interest in the formation of such an organisation crystallized in Paris in 1956 and culminated in the birth of the federation in Brussels, Belgium on September 8, 1959. At that time there were only 8 countries entering the Federation.

Today, 46 countries have met the high standards of scientific and educational qualifications of the IFSCC and, as members, support the organization's aims and programs. The number of individual members in the Federation now exceeds 15,000 and are still growing

The IFSCC continues to grow as the cosmetic industry expands worldwide. As new Societies develop in Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America, they will be welcomed into the Federation as they qualify for membership

Click to return to the top of the page


IFSCC Activities

The IFSCC is committed to advancing the knowledge of cosmetic science and to encouraging the dissemination of this knowledge through international meetings. It encourages a strong, cooperative exchange of information among its societies and their members

MEETINGS: The major meetings of the IFSCC are the Congress, held during even-numbered years. The Congress usually lasts 3-4 days and, in recent years, has drawn 1,500 or more delegates. The IFSCC Congress continues to be one of the most popular international meetings in the cosmetic industry.

In the late 1970s, the IFSCC decided to host a smaller, 2-day meeting between congresses. Attendance at these meetings has averaged about 300 delegates.

PUBLICATIONS: The IFSCC publishes monographs on key subjects. Subjects currently available are Principles of Product Evaluation, Stability Testing, Rheology, Emulsions and Emulsification, Microbiology, Antiperspirants and Deodorants, Microemulsions, Raw Material Analysis, Analysis of Polymers. A quarterly IFSCC Magazine is sent to every member of every IFSCC Society which incorporates scientific papers, news on member societies and other information.
Click to return to the top of the page


IFSCC Governance

The Federation has a bicameral governing body consisting of a Praesidium and a Council of delegates from member societies. The Council and Praesidium meet annually in the fall. The Council elects the officers of the Federation who in turn make up the Praesidium. The Praesidium also meets every spring, usually in Europe.

The head office of the IFSCC constitutes the Secretariat of the Federation. This office is maintained in the cooperation with the British Society of Cosmetic Scientists. The administrative executive of this office is the Secretary General of the IFSCC, Mrs. Lorna K. Weston, who is assisted by Mrs Gem Bektas.

The IFSCC actively pursues all means to further its aims of encouraging international communication and cooperation in the science and technology of the cosmetic industry. It welcomes contributions from its member societies toward achieving these aims.

Click to return to the top of the page


IFSCC Press-release

IFSCC Conference Melbourne, Australia October 5th-9th, 2009

No worries mate! We all heard that refrain as we enjoyed Aussie hospitality and participated in the global scientific exchange during the 20th IFSCC Conference in Melbourne this October. I have to concur that there were no worries once our full complement of nearly 500 delegates arrived to share their findings in a two day technical session that presented 24 podium papers and displayed numerous scientific posters.

The Conference was attended by 482 delegates from 37 countries, a large contingent coming of course from the host country Australia, and neighbor New Zealand, with a diverse global representation from all three IFSCC zones.

Prior to the scientific sessions and social events the IFSCC Council met to discuss the business of the IFSCC and new activities and proposals of which these are a few highlights. The Council gladly accepted a new 47th member society, The Middle Eastern Society, which will join Zone 2. The MESSCC comprises members from a few countries in that region including Iran and potentially could add members from others in the future. The Science Committee announced the institution of the Henry Maso Conference Award in their effort to further differentiate Conferences from Congresses to be awarded to a young scientist who presents his or her work at a Conference to win expenses for attendance at the upcoming Congress. The Education Committee then detailed the overwhelming success of the new Ecaterina Merica Education Program which provided full day seminars to resource challenged societies in all three Zones.

Council members were also reminded that the IFSCC Magazine would go primarily digital next year to remind all members to register online. Note was made of the special 50th anniversary edition of the IFSCC Magazine that was distributed at the Conference. Befitting this entry into a second half century of cosmetic science the IFSCC unveiled its new 21st century logo to appreciative applause.

Following the Council Meeting, a spontaneous happy 50th anniversary celebration took place in the exhibition hall complete with cake and blowing out of the candles by our inimitable Secretary General Ms. Lorna Weston together with Outgoing IFSCC President Xavier Romeu.



The Melbourne Conference Opening Ceremony took us to the Melbourne Aquarium on the bank of the Yarra River to facilitate delegate socializing while being treated to indigenous Aboriginal peoples’ song and dance in view of the marine life in the extensive aquaria there. Delegates took the short river walk en masse but not until they were entertained by Kerry Cue, the Conference keynote speaker, a popular local author/educator at the Melbourne Conference Center.

Nick Urquhart of the Australian Society and Chair of the Conference Steering Committee opened the conference to a packed hall. Two full days then began of scientific podium presentations, twenty four total, covering subjects as diverse as skin moisturizer design and a technology to restore hydrophobicity to damaged hair surfaces. Attendees were educated on the macromolecule intrusion into interlamellar spaces in clay platelets and stratum corneum supplemented by a light-hearted physical demonstration of the process by Dr Robert Lochhead of the University of Southern Mississippi. Polymers for hair care and rheology control, inorganic sunscreens and sunscreen photstability, cell adhesion molecules of the skin’s barrier and anti-aging strategies were among the other technologies presented. Complimenting this were over sixty (60) technical posters and extensive commercial exhibit booths and displays.

With this profusion of varied thought provoking science presented there it was a difficult task for the awards committee to choose the top paper. Finally the best paper was announced by Dr Fujihiro Kanda, Chair of the Awards Committee as:

“A Proposal on a New Anti-Aging/Anti-Wrinkling Story: Blocking of Epidermal-Dermal Cross – Talk through Strengthening of Intracellular ROS Scavenging Capability” by Kenji Shimizu, Shoichi Yahagi, Yukiko Izutsu, Kei Obayashi, Yuko Yamashita, Yuri Okano, Hitoshi Masaki, Japan

The Best Paper Award was presented to him for this at the Gala banquet by Incoming IFSCC President Gavin Greenoak.

The 20th IFSCC Conference concluded with a Gala Dinner preceded by the 50th Anniversary cocktail party for the delegates staged in the gathering area at the reception hall. There we were entertained by a slide show of highlights from the first half century put together by Julian Jones with photos compiled from various sources including archives of Muriel Conrad and the U.S. Society provided by the IFSCC Public Relations and Publication Committees.

As Conference Chair, Nick Urquhart opened the Gala Banquet by introducing a laser light show tailored to our audience complete with chemical structures. Awards followed including presentation of the Lester Conrad award for recently affiliated society’s proposed education programs going to India. Ms.Monisha Mullick of the Indian Society accepted the award from Ms Anne Hunt, IFSCC Secretary and advised it would be used to increase the collection of books and journals at a university affiliated with the cosmetic industry there. Earlier, at the opening ceremony, the Maison G de Navarre award had been presented and went this year to Adrien Cousy of the French Society, coincidently a former resident of Melbourne who had recently moved back to France.

Now completing his long tenure on the IFSCC Praesidium, Dr.Johann Wiechers accepted a scroll for his major contributions to the IFSCC and delivered a moving and concise, for Johann, parting speech.

As tradition warrants, the current IFSCC President, Mr. Xavier Romeau turned over the gavel to Dr. Gavin Greenoak who continued the ceremony by introducing the new Praesidium, which including himself consists of:

President: Gavin Greenoak (Australia)

Vice President: Alberto Martin (Argentina)

Treasurer: Miss Judi Beerling (UK)

Hon. Secretary: Mrs Anne Hunt (France)

Committee Member No 3: Prof Vanchai Sirchana (Thailand)

Committee Member No 2: Roy Gardiner (South Africa)

Committee Member No 1: Jadir Nunes (Brazil)

Chair - Science Committee: Dr Fujihiro Kanda (Japan)

Chair - Education Committee: Mrs Amy Wyatt (USA)

Chair PR Committee: Art Georgalas (USA)

Chair - Publications Committee: Dr Hartmut Schmidt-Lewerkuehne (Germany)

Kosmet Task Force Manager: Silvia Boracchi (Italy)

Hon Auditor: Mr. Henri Sebag (France)

Hon Auditor: Ms. Susan Hurst (UK)

Those continuing in office are:

Immediate Past President: Xavier Romeu (Spain)

Secretary General: Mrs. Lorna Weston (UK)

Assistant to Secretary General: Mrs. Gem Bektas (UK)



Part of the unscheduled entertainment arrived with the presentation by Dr.Peter Schneider of the Swiss Society, a former IFSCC President, of the “traditional cow bell” which was loudly rung to insure a good future for the IFSCC now that we had reached this fifty year milestone.

Dr. Alberto Martin invited us to his country Argentina next year for what will be the 26th IFSCC Congress in Buenos Aires for 2010 with a colorful media presentation highlighting the surprising diversity of people and places that is Argentina.

We are reminded also of the global venues of upcoming IFSCC events that include:

2012 - 27th IFSCC Congress, South Africa

2013 - IFSCC Conference, Brazil

2014 - 28th IFSCC Congress – France

As well as the 2015 Conference in Switzerland and 2016 Congress in the United States.

After a closing thanks to all from Nick Urquhart, for which we should have responded “No worries mate!”, the Gala Banquet continued until well past midnight with exuberant dancing, singing and finally goodbyes until next year.


Art Georgalas
IFSCC Public Relations Chair

NOTE: IF YOU REQUIRE ELECTRONIC PHOTOS OF THE PRAESIDIUM OR ANY OF THE PRESENTATIONS EG M G DE NAVARRE AWARD, LESTER CONRAD AWARD, ANNIVERSARY CAKE ETC, PLEASE CONTACT THE IFSCC SECRETARIAT ON ifscc.scs@btconnect.com TO REQUEST A COPY


Click to return to the top of the page


IFSCC Past Presidents

SURNAME FIRST NAME COUNTRY YEAR
ROMEU XAVIER SPAIN 2008
JOHANN WIECHERS NETHERLANDS 2007
KUMANO YOSHIMARU JAPAN 2006
SECCHI GIANFRANCO ITALY 2005
PAVLICHKO JOE USA 2004
KIM CHANG KEW KOREA 2003
JANOUSEK ANGELA UK 2002
LAI JENG-SHAOW Taiwan 2001
WITTERN KLAUS-PETER GERMANY 2000
OZAWA TATSUYA  JAPAN 1999
GRIZZO SERGE FRANCE 1998
GREENBERG STEPHEN USA 1997
OPPENHEIM ALAN AUSTRALIA 1996
SCHNEIDER PETER SWITZERLAND 1995
MIGNINI ELIO ITALY 1994
PELEJERO CARLES SPAIN 1993
MITSUI TAKEO JAPAN 1992
VARJOVAARA MARJA-LIISA FINLAND 1991
BUCHER GAIL USA 1990
VAN CROONENBORGH ROB NETHERLANDS 1989
ROTHWELL PHILIP UK 1988
MOTITSCHKE LOTHAR GERMANY 1987
PUIG MARTIN JORGE SPAIN 1986
OHTA SABURO JAPAN 1985
RUBIN JAIME ARGENTINA 1984
MASO HENRY USA 1983
AUBIN GUY FRANCE 1982
LINDER-HERNELL GUNILLA SWEDEN 1981
COCCHINI ALDO ITALY 1980
AVALLE NADIA SWITZERLAND 1979
STRASSER PETER AUSTRALIA 1978
FUKUHARA NOBUKAZU (NICK) JAPAN 1977
LANGE WINTHROP USA 1976
LODI VERA ITALY 1975
CLARK RONALD UK 1974
HOLMBERG JOHN SCANDINAVIA 1973
GERSHON SOL USA 1972
NEUGEBAUER HERBERT GERMANY 1971
SERRA COLL FRANCISCO SPAIN 1970
ZVIAK CHARLES FRANCE 1969
KOYAMA TSUNEMASA JAPAN 1968
CONRAD LESTER USA 1967
WITJENS PIET NETHERLANDS 1966
DESPERROIS EGMONT FRANCE 1965
WILKINSON JOHN UK 1964
STRIANSE SABBAT USA 1963
ARTIGAS JOSE SPAIN 1962
MASCH LUDWIG GERMANY 1961
MARRIOTT ROBERT UK 1960
DE NAVARRE MAISON G USA 1959


Click to return to the top of the page


 
 
 
Copyright The International Federation of Cosmetic Chemists
Web site designed by netVillage