Alphorns, Cowbells, Magic and Gaming at IFSCC Zurich, part V

Auderset presented a traditional Swiss cow bell to U.S. SCC president Tony O'Lenick as a symbol of the Secretariat's move to New York.
Auderset presented a traditional Swiss cow bell to U.S. SCC president Tony O'Lenick as a symbol of the Secretariat's move to New York.

Zürich—The 23rd IFSCC Congress, held Sept. 21-23, 2015, reported “more facts and less illusions” to some 550+ delegates from across the globe at the forefront of cosmetic product innovation. (View our photo album on Facebook.)

(Continued from Part IV)

Thin-film Cracking, Pollution Protection and a ‘Run-in’ with Anti-aging

After the lunch break, Reinhold H. Dauskart, of Stanford University, gave a keynote lecture on understanding the biomechanics of human skin to predict skin damage and optimize effective treatments. “We become stiffer and tougher as we get older, and skin does, too,” he joked.

Dauskart demonstrated how damage processes in skin can be quantitatively modeled and predicted based on thin-film biomechanics and cracking processes. He explained that corneodesmosomes contribute the most to the energy required to separate corneocytes.

Junichi Hosoi, of Shiseido Research Center, explored the role of extracellular ATP during the disruption of skin homeostasis, and noted the calming function of Langerhans cells. Carine Nizard, of LVMH Recherche, then discussed protein maintenance activators in formulas to protect skin from pollution. She showed that skin explants exposed to 32 pollutants, i.e., 27 heavy metals and 5 hydrocarbons, in a 24-hr patch test acted as a good ex vivo model for measuring pollution damage. In addition, Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Hibiscus sabdariffa extracts were able to significantly increase the proteasome and Lon protease activities reduced by VOCs.

Finally, Stephen Schwartz, of International Research Services, Inc., gave a retrospective evaluation of anti-aging studies using wrinkle reduction as an endpoint. He concluded that using a drying agent for washout results in an over-estimation of product efficacy, whereas run-in designs with proper supportive materials properly determine product efficacy. He recommended using the run-in design when immediate hydration and longer term anti-aging studies are combined. As an aside, he observed, “Claims substantiation for anti-aging the 1970s and 80s was different as products were simpler.”

Tearful Goodbyes, Awards and a Cowbell … with a Side of Acrobats

The closing gala brought with it live music, acrobatic feats and a specially designed “beauty cuisine.” Musicians spread a mix of jazz and classical tunes across the backdrop of the evening. A comedic acrobat trio—sort of a cross between Blue Man Group and Cirque du Soleil—performed gymnastic feats on stage, complete with interactive light displays. And Urs Keller, head chef of Kongresshaus Zurich, designed the dinner menu around ingredients to promote beautiful, healthy skin, including: Orkney salmon for its unsaturated fatty acids, and carrot and orange soup for its vitamins.

Activities paused to announce the award recipients for best oral presentation, best poster and best host society paper. First, the Johann Wiechers Award for best oral presentation at the event went to Aya Sakata and colleagues, of POLA Chemical Industries and Japan’s International University of Health and Welfare, for their work on the role of the retinacula cutis in skin sagging.

The award for best poster went to Imke Meyer and colleagues, of Symrise and Leibniz Institut für Umweltmedizinische Forschung GmbH (IMF), for their research on AHR antagonists as actives to protect against air pollution-induced premature aging. Finally, for the best paper from the Swiss host society, Jasmin Lozza and co-authors, from Mibelle Biochemistry, won for their presentation of magnesium carboxymethyl glucan as a new compound to combat atopic dermatitis.

Also during the closing gala, outgoing president Willemin got choked up while thanking retiring IFSCC Secretariat Lorna Weston for her 29 years of service. Among the multitude of changes Weston had overseen, the number of countries represented in the IFSCC has grown to surpass 60. Weston kept her remarks “short and sweet,” and bid goodbye to long-time friends and colleagues, wishing everyone “good luck.” (View our video on Facebook). Incoming president Auderset then assisted Willemin with the presentation of a gift to Weston.

As per tradition, the official IFSCC flag and gavel were then passed on from Willemin to Auderset, who took the helm with a traditional Swiss cow bell at his feet. He, in turn, passed this gift on to U.S. SCC president Tony O'Lenick, as a symbol of the Secretariat’s move to New York. Additional thanks and closing remarks were given by the various prestigious committee members, wrapping up with a reminder for the next two IFSCC events: the 2016 IFSCC Congress in Orlando (Oct. 30-Nov. 2), and the 2017 IFSCC Conference in Seoul (Oct. 23-25). Mark your calendars!

~Cosmetics & Toiletries

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