57th Annual Conference
Looking for inspiration on the latest cosmetic ingredients and product innovations in the personal care industry?
Want to build connections with cosmetic raw material suppliers, manufacturers, agents and experts? The ASCC Conference is the place to be.
In 2025, our 57th Annual Conference will be held on the Western Sydney Conference Centre Dharug nation, NSW 13th – 15th May 2025.
With a host of educational opportunities, networking events, supplier exhibition booths, poster and innovation zones, come to be inspired and find out the latest industry launches and developments.
Join us as we Unveil Beauty’s Potential, by:
- Celebrating Diversity
Beauty beyond appearance, one size does not fit all, products can be designed for specific ages, genders, ethnicities, and climates. - Beauty Entrepreneurship
Navigating the journey to success, from startups to multinationals we all have a journey to experience. This pillar will explore how minor discoveries in science can lead to big things. - Unveiling Beauty’s Potential
Discovering Emerging technologies, trends, ingredients, and innovations advancing and redefining the beauty and cosmetics industry.
Stay up to date with key information relating to ASCC Conferences including Call for papers, Sponsorship Opportunities, Exhibition Sales, Promotional Information, Registration and other important updates along the way.
57th Annual Conference Schedule.
Click to access the current schedule. *Please note that this schedule is current however changes may be made due to circumstances beyond our control.
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Venue Helpful Information: 
Registration, Exhibition and Catering is at the Western Sydney Conference Centre (red star).
Welcome address, Opening and Presentations are held at the ‘Event Centre Penrith’ (green star), a short walk across the road from the WSCC.
Welcome Function for those registered to attend will be held in the ‘Backyard’ (blue star) – a casual fun-filled evening to mix, mingle and engage in giant games like Jenga, Connect 4 and more. With delicious BBQ food stations, refreshing drinks, and a playful atmosphere, The Warm-Up is the perfect way to unwind, meet fellow attendees, and embrace the spirit of collaboration and innovation. Dress Code: Smart Casual.
Gala Night: Lights, Camera, Action! for those registered to attend is to be in Evan Theatre at ECP (yellow star). Dress Code: “The Theatre”.
Step into the spotlight and celebrate the grand finale of ASCC 2025 at our spectacular Gala Night! Hosted at the Evans Theatre in the Penrith Panthers Club, this glamorous evening will pay tribute to the key themes of the conference: Beauty Entrepreneurship, Unveiling Beauty’s Potential, and Celebrating Diversity.
Raise a glass to our award winners as we honour the innovation and excellence shaping our industry. Then, sit back and enjoy a dazzling revue featuring show-stopping local talent!
From Broadway to the silver screen, opera to traditional arts—entertainment has always showcased beauty and creativity, just like our industry. Pay homage to your favourite entertainment icons as we celebrate Sydney’s rich multicultural heritage in a night of elegance, performance, and inspiration. Dress either as an audience member or a member of the cast.
Registration now open – click to register:
Early Bird – ends 15th March
Standard: 16 March – 1 May
Final release: 2nd May – conference commencing.
General Sponsorship opportunities now closed.
To view the General Sponsorship prospectus please click here.
Premium Sponsors
We wish to thank our Premium Sponsors for their support and dedication to the 2025 ASCC Conference.
Call for Abstracts CLOSED!
Information about the Call for Abstracts can be accessed via Enews or the links below.
Call for abstracts closing date: 31st Oct 2024
KEY POINTS
Please send abstracts as a Word document, abstracts will be blinded before assessment.
Call for abstracts closes 31st October 2024 – no late submissions will be accepted.
No company name or Trade names are allowed in the abstract. please use chemical names only.
For the ASCC Free of Charge protocol, click here for details.
Preference is given to those who will provide full written papers and provide all required documents.
Be inspired by our Guest Speakers
Keynote speaker – Alan Oppenheim
Alan Oppenheim has been Managing Director of Ego Pharmaceuticals since 1990 and prior to that was Scientific Director for a decade.
Alan has a Bachelor of Science degree with first class honours, from Monash University. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
He is an Honorary Life Member of the Australian Society of Cosmetic Chemists. He was part of the team that brough the IFSCC Congress to Australia for only the 2nd time – in 1996 in Sydney when 2,000 delegates attended. He is a past President of the International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists, an organisation with 15,000 members in more than 40 nations. As IFSCC President he facilitated the creation of the IFSCC Magazine.
Alan is a director of the Consumer Healthcare Products Australia, an organisation that represents the non-prescription pharmaceutical industry.
Alan is recognised for his community support by being made an Honorary Life Member of the Australian Dermatology Nurses Association. He is an Entrepreneur of the Year (a program run globally by Ernst and Young). Together with his wife, Dr Jane Oppenheim, he received an Award for Excellence from the Australian Self Medication Industry for service to the industry. He received a Distinguished Alumni Award from Monash University (one of Australia’s top eight universities with campuses in Melbourne, Malaysia, China, India and Indonesia). He was presented with an Export Hero Award by the Governor-General of Australia.
Ego Pharmaceuticals researches and manufactures 120 products for skin health in its own world-class pharmaceutical plant in Braeside (Melbourne) which in 2016 had a $16 million expansion opened by the Hon Andrew Robb AO, Minister of Trade. In 2017 Ego moved into its $35 million new global support centre with global distribution centre in Dandenong (Melbourne). In 2022 Ego completed a 2.5 year, $25 million, Green Core building expansion and upgrade of its plant at Braeside (Melbourne). Ego has 700 staff based across 14 nations.
Exporting famous products like QV gentle cleansers and moisturisers, SunSense sunscreens, DermAid anti-inflammatories and MOOV Head Lice Treatments to the Middle East, Asia Pacific, the UK and more, Ego won the Governor of Victoria Exporter of the Year 2016 and the Australian Government Exporter of the Year 2017.
Ego is the science of healthy skin.
Plenary Speaker – Carla Oates
CEO & founder Carla Oates created The Beauty Chef in 2009, after healing her family’s skin and health issues and discovering that beautiful, glowing skin begins with a healthy gut. She began experimenting with lacto-fermenting wholefood ingredients in her Bondi kitchen to create The Beauty Chef’s first product, Glow®.
16 years on, Carla continues to pioneer inner beauty and wellness and is a passionate advocate for the role of gut health in our health, beauty and wellbeing. She works alongside a leading team of microbiologists, naturopaths, and nutritionists to create innovative formulas that nourish glowing skin, gut health and wellbeing from within.
Carla is the author of three books, Feeding Your Skin, The Gut Guide and The Beauty Chef Cookbook, published by Hardie Grant. Carla Oates is an ambassador for The Royal Hospital for Women Foundation.
Plenary Speaker – Simon Chan
Graduated as a Chemist at the Chinese University of HK in 1987. He established his own cosmetic raw material distribution business in Hong Kong and China in 1991 and built it up to the most renowned cosmetic active ingredients marketing distributor in China until 2009 when his company was merged into CBC which is one of the top chemical distribution companies in AP. Beside his own business, Simon has been actively participated in the cosmetic advocacy in Hong Kong and China too. He was the founder of HKSCC and was invited to join the IFSCC Praesidium as Chair of PR Committee in 2014.
During his 6 years PR assignment in IFSCC Praesidium, he made crucial changes to the benefactor program which has secured the financial insufficiency of IFSCC over the past years. Besides, he has helped to establish China-SCC in 2017 that brings strong participation from the Chinese cosmetic scientists nowadays. To appreciate his valuable contributions to IFSCC, Simon Chan was granted IFSCC Fellow during the Congress in Barcelona last year. He is currently the Advisor of IFSCC and is continuing to contribute his time and effort to strengthen the collaborations of different IFSCC national societies.
Plenary Speaker – Dr Travis Badenhorst
Dr. Badenhorst serves as the leader of the Ingredient Team at Procter and Gamble in Singapore. In this capacity, he collaborates with senior Brand and R&D Directors throughout the organization, spearheading international efforts in the sourcing and selection of cutting-edge ingredients for various P&G brands, including Olay and SKII. Beyond this, he oversees pivotal mid-stream technological initiatives aimed at introducing new science, technology, and products to the market. Travis’ unwavering commitment to excellence and fervor for innovation have established him as a pivotal figure in propelling the success of P&G’s global skincare initiatives.
Possessing over 15 years of experience in R&D, Travis has held diverse roles within the Beauty Industry. His noteworthy 12-year tenure at Snowberry commenced as a lab assistant and culminated in his appointment as the Chief Scientist, a position earned through a highly successful PhD that yielded a breakthrough in peptide delivery science. The impact of this scientific achievement was showcased at the World Congress of Dermatology, ultimately capturing the attention of Procter and Gamble, leading to the acquisition of Snowberry in 2017.
Throughout his career, Travis has been an integral member of the NZSCC committee, progressing through various roles to eventually assume the presidency of the NZ Society of Cosmetic Chemists from 2018 to 2021. His reputation extends beyond scientific accomplishments, encompassing a unique ability to navigate the intersection of science and business within the skincare industry. Eager to contribute his extensive skills and insights, Travis regularly supports the cosmetic industry and welcomes connections from professionals and organizations dedicated to advancing skincare innovation and sustainability.
Plenary Speaker – Isabelle CASTIEL-HIGOUNENC, PharmD, PhD
Communications & Engagement, L’ORÉAL R&I, France
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 vice-president in 2024. She is currently in charge of organizing the next annual international congress of cosmetic research, to be held in Cannes from September 15 to 18, 2025, as congress VP in charge of the scientific board.
Plenary Speaker – Deborah Munson
Owner/Operator of Baagi Milaygiin
Deborah, a proud Gomeroi woman based in Port Macquarie, brings over 40 years of expertise in Hair and Beauty. With ancestral ties to the Darug nation (Penrith), she carries a deep connection to the land of the Convention Centre. Deborah will share her knowledge on the use of Indigenous herbs and plants for skincare, offering a unique Indigenous perspective on cosmetic developments. Her insights align perfectly with the conference theme, making her an exceptional addition as the final guest speaker.
Not an ASCC Member?
Stay up to date with key information relating to ASCC Conferences including Call for papers, Sponsorship Opportunities,
Exhibition Sales, Promotional Information, Registration and other important updates along the way.
Click here to Sign up to Conference News.
or via the QR code.
