Anti-aging and skin longevity are among our top themes. Here, Sophia Yi Zhang, from Yatsen Global's brand Galénic, presents on the potency of mixed retinol to enhance anti-aging effects and reduce irritation.
The 2024 IFSCC Congress, held Oct. 14-17, featured more than 600 posters and 80+ podium presentations to spark ideas for some 1,400 (pre-registered) attendees. From melano-aging and physics, to the mind-skin connection, sunscreen safety and more, here we present our top 11 themes and related topics we saw for each. (Note this is not a comprehensive summary).
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The 2024 IFSCC Congress, held Oct. 14-17, featured more than 600 posters and 80+ podium presentations to spark ideas for some 1,400 (pre-registered) attendees. From melano-aging and physics, to the mind-skin connection, sunscreen safety and more, here we present our top 11 themes and related topics we saw for each. (Note this is not a comprehensive summary).
1. Melano-aging and Skin Brightening
- Melano-aging is a new term that emerged that relates to a novel target for skin hyperpigmentation/age spots: a metabolic shift that occurs when melanin is excessively produced. This work received the IFSCC 2024 Basic Research Award.
- Skin brightening
- Hyperpigmentation
- Using ultramarine to replace iron oxide black to hide skin imperfections (wrinkles, color irregularities) by changing the reflection spectrum of skin. This work received the IFSCC 2024 Applied Research Award.
2. Physics and Material Science
- Bubbles to replace surfactants for cleansing
- Designing materials for photosensitive release
- Ionic-liquid inspired skin penetration
- Droplet surface for skin penetration
- Again, using ultramarine to replace iron oxide black to hide skin imperfections by changing the reflection spectrum of skin
3. Improving Sunscreen Safety, Efficacy
- Designing test methods to standardize reef safe claims
- Working with ZnO
- Microencapsulation to prevent UV filter penetration
- Improving dispersion to enhance SPF without added filters
- Transparency on skin
- Non-nano innovations
4. Whole-body Care
- Soaking in hot springs to improve skin barrier health
- Vaginal treatments, wellness and care
- Controlling body odor
- Controlling axillary odor, masking malodor
5. Microbiome Insights, Porphyr'aging
- Quorum sensing for acne
- Microbe distribution
- Personalizing products based on microbiome types (using AI to align skin conditions with microbiota and products)
- Porphyr'aging - another emerging term related to the metabolites (porphyrins) that skin microbiota produce that positively or negatively affect skin (studies have correlated porphyrins with brown spots and wrinkles, and shown that reducing porphyrin levels could delay signs of aging)
6. Sustainability and Biodiversity
- Finding greener solutions/chemistries
- Need to explore more resources (we are dependent on too few)
- 9 planetary boundaries addressing climate change
- White biotech, fermentation/precision fermentation
- Eco-design, full lifecycle analysis, circular economy, decarbonization
- Upcycling
- Collecting microorganisms from ecosystems to create a "bank" for future reference (before they are gone)
- Water consumption
- Naturals adulteration
- Field cultivation
- Exosomes
- Canna beauty
- Cognitive science to promote sustainability
- Numerous ingredients from Brazilian biodiversity
7. Anti-aging, Skin Longevity
- Nutricosmetic from berries to reduce eye sagging
- Polyglutamic acid as the new HA for plumping (and other benefits)
- Pro-collagen everything
- Combining bakuchiol and retinol, and encapsulated vs. free vs. mixed retinol
- Niacinamide for menopausal skin,
- Well aging
- Skin longevity
- Proteins and peptides, natural cyclic peptide, tetrapeptide-111
- Skin oxygen levels
- Antioxidants
- Ingredient delivery into skin
8. Mind-skin Connection
- Effects of stress, epinephrine production on skin
- Well aging
- Multisensory skin care for wellness
- Happiness pathways
9. Imaging, Testing and Other Tech in Beauty
- Identifying how TCM ingredient bird's nest works
- Measuring/imaging in vivo dermal fiber alignment/density before/after treatment
- Visualizing skin infrastructure ("dermal skeleton") for new anti-aging target
- Omics/proteomics
- Bioinformatics
- Skin substrate test models
- Hair fiber structure analysis ("multiparametric in vivo evaluation" of hair)
- Data science to cluster product claims (and find white spaces in the market)
- Speeding innovation
- Hydration, etc., prediction
10. 'Leaky' Skin, Sensitivity and General Skin Care
- Sulfate-free, surfactant-free
- Controlling UV penetration
- Treatments for rosacea, dry skin
- Lasting hydration
- Barrier defects and inflammation ("leaky skin")
11. Hair and Scalp Care
- Eumelanin precursor for hair color
- Hair fiber structure analysis
- Addressing hair graying
- Natural oils for hair health
- Treating seborrheic dermatitis
Honorable Mentions
- Delivery (photosensitive release, improving penetration)
- Personalization (using urine-derived stem cells to re-create skin characteristics ("mirror skin") for personalized care. This work received the IFSCC 2024 Johann Wiechers Poster Award.
- Fragrance (heat resistance, durability)
- Inclusion and diversity (oiliness of Brazilian skin, hiding imperfections in Asian skin, treating curly/textured hair
- Cleanser for false eyelashes
- Pet product sensory testing
To view select posters from this year's event, check out our YouTube channel: @CTCosmeticScience.
