Interview with Dr. Isabelle Castiel-Higounenc, President of the IFSCC
Dr. Isabelle Castiel-Higounenc
President of the IFSCC
As the newly elected President of the International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists (IFSCC), Dr. Isabelle Castiel-Higounenc takes the helm at a pivotal moment for cosmetic science. With sustainability, digitalization, biotechnology, and global collaboration reshaping the field, her leadership will be key in guiding the federation’s future. In this interview, she shares her vision for the IFSCC, the priorities she sees for scientific development, and how the organization will continue to inspire and connect cosmetic scientists worldwide.
Congratulations, Dr. Castiel-Higounenc, on your election as President of the IFSCC. What motivated you to take on this leadership role in the IFSCC?
Thank you for your question. As someone passionate about research for over 30 years, I’ve dedicated my career to cosmetic innovation, initially in the labs, and more recently, for the past decade, as Director of Innovation Valorization within L’Oréal R&I, to science promotion and education. It was therefore quite natural for me to wish to join the IFSCC Praesidium in 2022, to represent the voice of France. We have a very rich cosmetic scientific ecosystem in France, which allowed us to successfully organize the largest annual research congress in this field this year. I truly felt it was a gift, the opportunity to be at the helm with my colleagues on the scientific board to construct the scientific program for the last IFSCC congress.
Becoming President for the year 2025-2026 is a great honor, and I sincerely hope that during my term, I will be able to live up to the mission entrusted to me within the IFSCC: to promote science, exchange, and education within the global cosmetic research ecosystem, as my predecessors have done.
What were some highlights of this year`s congress in your opinion?
This year, in constructing the congress program with the scientific board, we made a deliberate choice to open participants’ minds and encourage them to innovate differently. This involved not only presenting the latest discoveries on classic or emerging topics like cognitive sciences, the microbiome, or longevity, but also offering ‘out of the box,’ more disruptive keynotes. These included discussions on the challenges brought by AI to our profession, the evolution and diversity of human pigmentation, the essential nature of cosmetics, or even how to draw inspiration from ocean knowledge or space research. Overall, we received very positive feedback that the program was very inspiring, and in that sense, we are pleased to have achieved this objective.
What are some specific initiatives you plan to launch or support?
The IFSCC was created in 1959, and my activities this year with the Praesidium will definitely be in continuity with my predecessors. We boast a significant number of member societies (48), representing almost 80 countries. We will continue to support these existing societies and help others emerge wherever the scientific or industrial ecosystem warrants it.
We will undoubtedly pay particular attention to supporting, on one hand, the involvement of younger generations of scientists, and on the other hand, regions where access to scientific congresses is more challenging, such as South America or Africa. This will be done while also helping more active regions like Europe, Asia, and North America maintain their dynamism.
What are the biggest challenges that IFSCC and the cosmetic science community face in the next few years, and how do you plan to address them?
One of the significant challenges for the future of cosmetics and the IFSCC is the need to bring some clarity among the proliferation of different professional associations and federations in our field. This can all appear quite confusing. That’s why, in 2024, the Praesidium focused on clarifying the
IFSCC’s sense of purpose, highlighted by a new video and website, and scope of activity. Our role is not business-oriented, but rather the sharing of high level science and education.
The IFSCC is the guarantor of scientific excellence and education, which is one of the reasons why the awards presented at our congress are so highly recognized by our community. Last year, we specifically worked on designing a logo that award-winning companies can associate with their communication, highlighting that their technology received an award at the latest congress. We are also working to draw closer to other associations to organize joint events, with the IFSCC bringing scientific credibility and legitimacy. A prime example is the partnership we established a year ago with in-cosmetics
Asia. The IFSCC truly stands as the guarantor of scientific excellence.
Cosmetic science is advancing rapidly in areas such as sustainability, biotechnology, and digital tools. Which scientific fields do you believe will most shape the future of the IFSCC’s activities?
These three areas are, of course, essential for the present and future of cosmetic research, each with different advancements and contributions. If we consider sustainability, which was a newer topic in recent years, it has now become a transversal subject – a ‘must-have’ – and that’s excellent. This is precisely how we addressed it in the congress program. In fact, sustainability is becoming a mandatory step, addressed from the very beginning of the process, just like safety, when conducting cosmetic research and development.
Biotechnology is the future of our cosmetic ingredients, offering an infinite opportunity to discover and develop new molecules in a more sustainable way. These can be biologically active compounds or molecules exhibiting novel biophysical properties, enabling the creation of new galenic forms. Some of these new molecules play both roles, and biotechnology increasingly allows us to obtain more and more so-called ‘functional’ ingredients.
And digital tools are a must for innovation in cosmetics. This was evident during the congress through an impressive number of posters and podium presentations related to innovation in this field, utilizing machine learning to predict product effects or employing AI-powered evaluation and design to develop new formulations.
The IFSCC unites cosmetic scientists across the world. How do you plan to strengthen international collaboration and ensure knowledge-sharing between regions with different levels of resources and expertise?
That’s an excellent question. Several initiatives are already in place to promote international science sharing and ensure accessibility regardless of a country’s resources. Each year, we provide grants for educational projects aimed at lower-ranked IFSCC countries. Our Spring Meeting is hosted in new regions, featuring a symposium day where Praesidium members contribute scientific presentations.
Furthermore, we make science widely accessible through weekly scientific webinars. These webinars often feature key speakers from our annual congress, allowing a broader audience to access their latest results and insights, with some even offering a wider vision on specific topics. All webinars are recorded and available as podcasts for IFSCC members.
Supporting the next generation of cosmetic scientists is central to the IFSCC. What new initiatives or opportunities would you like to create for young researchers and students?
We already have an initiative rewarding a two young researchers at the IFSCC congress. The Henry Maso award attributed in even-numbered years to the best paper by a young scientist (aged 40 or younger) in an issue of the IFSCC Magazine published in the preceding two years, and the Maison G. de Navarre award attributed annualy to young cosmetic scientists (aged 35 or younger) who submit an essay and undergo virtual interviews. While we have other ideas, they require further development and Praesidium validation before I can disclose them. However, discussions are ongoing on how the IFSCC can further enhance the visibility of young researchers’ work, particularly those completing their studies, to help them solidify their networks and transition into the professional world.
Sustainability and ethics are increasingly important in cosmetics. How can the IFSCC take a leadership role in guiding research, innovation, and communication around these topics?
These two points are paramount for the IFSCC: Firstly, concerning ethics, we mandate that all studies and scientific presentations at our congresses adhere strictly to prevailing ethical guidelines. Secondly, regarding the animal testing ban, absolutely no work presented at the IFSCC can be the result of animal experimentation.
Regarding sustainability, since 2023, the local society organizing the congress has hosted the Sustainability Challenge, with support from L’Oréal R&I. This initiative rewards the startup presenting the best project to enhance cosmetic research, development, or the production of products and ingredients. While not an official IFSCC initiative, this activity takes place within the IFSCC congress framework and has been very positively received. Due to its proven success, the Sustainability Challenge is already scheduled to return to Australia in 2026.
Beyond the renowned congresses and conferences, how do you see the role of digital platforms, hybrid events, or continuous education evolving in the IFSCC’s offering to its members worldwide?
That’s indeed a recurring question when discussing congresses and information sharing. Currently, the IFSCC intends to keep its annual congress as an in-person event because it’s primarily a time for exchange and networking, where researchers consolidate their connections within the cosmetic research and industry ecosystem. It also serves as a crucial meeting point for recruiters and students. Information sharing continues beyond this through our webinars and the publication of key works in the IFSCC magazine.
Isabelle CASTIEL-HIGOUNENC, PharmD, PhD
Communications & Engagement, L’Oréal Research & Innovation, France
2025-2026 IFSCC PRESIDENT
Passionate about scientific research and communication, Isabelle Castiel-Higounenc is convinced of the essentiality of cosmetics and their importance for the beauty and health of our skin, hair and our quality of life. Isabelle joined the L’Oréal Group over 27 years ago, with the aim of putting her skills at the service of innovation in cosmetics. Driven by scientific research and the sharing of knowledge, she now contributes to bringing the Group’s scientific expertise to as many people as possible.
Researcher by training, Isabelle is a pharmacist with a Ph.D in dermo-pharmacology. She joined the L’Oréal Group in 1997 as Laboratory Manager, where she carried out research into skin homeostasis. She went on to become Scientific Director for a variety of projects. She first led a research project on menopause, in collaboration with Université de Laval in Quebec. She then devoted several years to oral cosmetics, with Innéov, where she directed upstream research in collaboration with Nestlé. At the same time, Isabelle turned her attention to dermatological care with Galderma, where she coordinated scientific exchanges with L’Oréal. She joined the R&I Communications Department in 2014. Her years in Research teams drove to the release of 28 scientific publications and many patents.
Today, as Director of Innovation Valorization at L’Oréal, she promotes the Group’s scientific expertise and its ambitions in terms of innovation. Her objective: scientific advocacy, to gain recognition for the excellence of L’Oréal’s research and innovations from a wide variety of audiences, including experts, the media and the general public. Drawing on her dual expertise in research and communications, she supports researchers and brands in developing communications strategies around major innovations or new scientific territories.
As an active member of the IFSCC (International federation of societies of cosmetic chemists) on behalf of the SFC (Société Française de Cosmétologie) since 2022, she has been appointed IFSCC president in September 2025. She organized the last annual international congress of cosmetic research, held in Cannes from September 15 to 18, 2025, as congress VP and Chair of Science.
