IFSCC Focus: High Throughput Formulating, Next Generation Lipstick, NMF and More

By: Rachel Grabenhofer, Cosmetics & Toiletries

Posted: October 19, 2010

Melanin-derived hair dye, pearl-inspired skin radiance and the effects of thermal energy on skin were among the unique research concepts presented at the International Federation of the Societies of Cosmetic Chemists (IFSCC) Congress, held Sept. 20–23, 2010, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The organizers reviewed 300+ abstracts to choose presentations that best supported the event’s theme, “Innovation and Responsibility: Cosmetics Forever,” for the nearly 900 visitors from 39 countries in attendance.

The opening ceremony kicked off with immediate past president, Gavin Greenoak, who welcomed delegates to “the vibrant city of Buenos Aires.” César Fernández Tudela, PhD, president of the Argentine Association of Cosmetic Chemists (AAQC), welcomed guests as well, and noted the high scientific level of this year’s selected keynote presentations and that this event showed astounding advancements. This led to the presentation of the annual Maison G. de Navarre Maison Young Scientist Prize to Caroline Yulek, senior chemist at Merle Norman Cosmetics, whose essay on nanotechnology won her attendance to the event. Alberto Martin, PhD, president of the organizing committee and the AAQC vice president, then declared the congress open, noting that the next three days’ sessions would reveal the future of cosmetics.

The opening ceremony keynote lecture was presented by Robert Y. Lochhead, of the University of Southern Mississippi, who believes “the future of formulation is in high throughput, combinatorial methods.” He described such means to quickly identify optimum ingredient combinations for product formulas, which he visualizes using phase diagrams. “We can look at 10,000 formulations a week with robotic handling,” explained Lochhead.

Lochhead’s talk then shifted to recent university work employing high throughput processing (HTP)—in particular to develop makeup for extreme conditions, and non-cosmetic work to find ways to break up oil slicks such as this year’s spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The makeup developed for extreme conditions was designed to protect the wearer from heat blasts; it utilizes heat reflective pigments that block infrared (IR) radiation. To break up oil slicks, Lochhead worked toward finding natural, biodegradable means to emulsify the oil. He noted that through lamellar phase stabilization of lecithin and cetyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, cleanup crews will be ready for the next spill.

After Lochhead's presentation, attendees were treated to a traditional Argentinian folk ballet performance, after which they networked with friends and colleagues at the welcome cocktail reception.