Educational Training Courses

Below is a list of the educational courses I give in cosmetic science, with a short summary for each course.

1. Skin delivery, the basics (1 day theory)

This one-day course discusses the various routes of penetration of active ingredients into the skin, the ideal physico-chemical characteristics of a skin penetrating molecule, the influence of formulation type, structure and, of course, “Formulating for Efficacy”. Particularly useful for those that never considered that they can influence the skin delivery of the active ingredients in their cosmetic formulations.

2. Skin delivery, more than skin deep (2 days theory)

This two-day course discusses all the topics discussed in the one-day course, but in addition also discusses cosmetic skin delivery systems, transfollicular delivery and the skin penetration of nanoparticles. New in this course is the discussion of the ‘delivery gap’ as an easy tool to select the most appropriate skin delivery system for the delivery issue at hand. Particularly useful for those cosmetic formulators and research managers that want to go more than “skin deep”!

3. Formulating for Efficacy (3 days: 2 days theory and 1 day in the lab)

This is the two days skin delivery course #2 above, with an additional day in your lab to apply the “Formulating for Efficacy” theory into action, using one of your very own active ingredients. All the practical tricks of the “Formulating for Efficacy” concept will be explained, so that you can do this yourself with minimal assistance in the future. Particularly useful for those cosmetic formulators that realize that the skin efficacy of their products can be improved by enhancing and regulating the skin delivery of their active ingredients.

4. HLB training (½ day theory, ½ day practical in the lab)

This is a popular course where the theory on formulation stability that every cosmetic formulator should know is presented within a few hours. The fun really starts when we all go into the lab together and try to make a stable emulsion from the ingredients your colleague quickly mixed together. And you thought (s)he was a friend... :-) Particularly suitable for all cosmetic formulators, from the unaware novice to the experienced lab technician that can do with a concise refresher course!

5. Skin moisturization (1 day theory)

This course starts with an overview of the physiology and biochemistry underpinning skin moisturization (both skin lipids and NMF to name but a few). It then continues with the mechanisms of action of moisturisers, an overview of moisturizing ingredients, and ends with my practical experience of how to formulate moisturizing formulations. Substantial time is also spent on the various techniques that can measure skin moisturization. When to use which one? Especially suitable for those that realise the importance of this subject but never find to time to read all the papers....

6. How to give effective scientific presentations? (½ day theory, ½ day workshop)

Based on the successful workshop at the 2005 IFSCC Conference in Florence, this one-day workshop discusses in half a day the principles of giving an effective scientific presentation. During the afternoon, participants will be preparing one of four different presentations from the same background information provided beforehand by the tutor. Of course, these presentations will also be given and your fellow participants will be the judge of how effective you were! Internet access and laptops are highly desirable for the practical part of the course. Particularly suitable for all in R&D that wonder why they are not better listened to.

7. Cosmetic Claim Substantiation (1 day workshop: theory and practical)

In one of my most popular courses I explain the different types of cosmetic claims, and introduce four rules for cosmetic claim substantiation. But listening is easy. In the afternoon, you are given the task to build the evidence of your own claim support package for an anti-aging product but every other type of claim is also allowed. You can even work on your current product development. Particularly suitable for R&D management, R&D scientists and technicians together with their marketing colleagues! Then some may finally learn what the consequences are of changing things at the last moment... :-(

8. Skin sensory (1 day)

This new course discusses the differences in sensory testing that exist and the associated different types of training necessary to perform sensory testing. From triangle testing to questionnaires, from spider webs to principal component analysis, it will all be discussed. Suitable for all that develop cosmetic products and think that cosmetic formulators are per definition good in judging the skin feel of their own products...

9. Skin bioengineering techniques and clinical trial management (1 day)

This course gives an independent overview of the majority of currently used skin bioengineering techniques, from skin moisturisation meters to evaporimeters, from photographic evidence to confocal Raman microscopy. Differences in measuring principles are discussed wherever possible. As all these techniques require human testing, the process of clinical trial management will also be discussed. From protocol to final report, from subject selection to written informed consent, from ethics committee to adverse events.... Purpose of the day is to be able to select the most appropriate equipment for the task at hand and being able to set up your own trial or manage a trial with an external contract research organisation.

10. A Basic Introduction into Rheology Applied to Cosmetic Products (½-1 day)

This half day course describes the basics of rheology and aims to make sense of one of the more confusing aspects of cosmetic science. At the end, you will know the meaning of stress and shear, stress rates and shear rates, viscosity, thixotropy and hysteresis and be able to describe the viscoelastic properties of most cosmetic formulations. Attention is also given to rheological measurements, what experiment to perform and in which sequence. In the extended version of this course (1 day) the relationship between rheological parameters and skin sensory, formulation stability issues and production issues will be discussed.

Dedicated courses can also be prepared. For example on the physiology of skin and hair, on skin barrier maintenance and repair, etc.

Prices available on request, see Contact Details