First awarded in 1988, this prize is now awarded annually to enable a young cosmetic scientist to attend an IFSCC Congress. The 2025 prize will be an invitation to attend the 2025 IFSCC Congress in Cannes, France, with the cost of travel, accommodation and registration fees up to, but not exceeding, 5000 Swiss Francs, being reimbursed by the IFSCC. Any member of a member society of the IFSCC may apply, if they are no more than 35 years of age when they submit their essay (note: this means the Author can be 35 years, 364 days old when they submit their essay).

Applicants should submit an essay of between 500 and 3,000 words on one of five topics chosen below. The winner is determined by Committee, which receives blinded copies of all submitted essays. The top three essays chosen by the prize committee will undergo virtual interviews with questions on their essays. These interviews will be conducted by a group of members of the IFSCC Praesidium. The individual who provides the most exceptional answers, as collectively agreed upon by the prize committee, will then be declared the winner.

Essay topics for the 2025 prize are:

• Bio-Inspired and Biomimetic Cosmetics: Learning from Nature for Beauty Innovations
  Explore how biotechnology and biomimetics are inspiring the development of cosmetic products that mimic natural processes and biological structures. Analyze how research in marine biology, plant genetics, or the structure of natural materials is influencing formulations that are respectful of and adaptable to the human body.
• The Science of Healthy Aging: Cosmetics for Skin Longevity
  Investigate the development of cosmetics focused on “healthy aging” and how science is redefining perceptions of anti-aging. Discuss how new active ingredients, such as peptides, growth factors, and epigenetic modulators, are used to keep skin healthy and balanced over time.
• The Era of Regenerative Cosmetics: From Repair to Rejuvenation
  Explore innovation in regenerative cosmetics, including products aimed at stimulating cellular repair and tissue regeneration. Analyze the impact of new technologies like stem cell therapy, growth factors, and biomaterials, and how they are revolutionizing skincare with products that go beyond surface repair.
• Functional Fragrances: The Role of Fragrances in Skin Health and Well-Being
  Investigate how fragrances are formulated to offer benefits beyond scent, including therapeutic and wellness properties. Analyze the use of essential oils, functional aromatic compounds, and neuroscience techniques to create fragrances that influence consumer mood and behavior.
• Smart and Active Packaging Technologies for Cosmetics
  Explore how smart packaging is transforming the consumer experience and product safety in cosmetics. Discuss innovations like packaging that releases active ingredients in a controlled manner, freshness-monitoring systems, and interactive QR labels that provide personalized, sustainable information, reducing waste and promoting transparency.

The applicant enters the competition by emailing a copy of the essay (in english only) and the entry form by 1 April 2025 to secretariat@ifscc.org (subject line:  MGdN 2025 submission)– cc’ing the office of the Member Society to which the applicant belongs.

By the time of submission, applicants must be members of good standing in their Society, which in turn must be current in its Federation subscription.

Note that the Award winner must attend the Congress and accept the Prize in person.

Congratulations to our 2024 winner, Kerry-Anne Viljoen (nee White) from Environ, South Africa. Her essay choice was ‘Sustainability and Circular Economy in Cosmetic Formulations: Life Cycle Thinking’. Kerry-Anne has an MSc in Chemistry and has previously worked in Materials Science, Failure Investigations and Vendor Management roles. She has also completed the Coschem Cosmetic Science Course.

Dr Marta Gonçalves from of the Department of Advanced Materials Science & Engineering at Korea’s Sungkyunkwan University was the winner of the IFSCC 2023 Maison G de Navarre Young Scientist Essay Prize. Dr Gonçalves completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Porto and her master’s degree at the University of Lisbon in Portugal before moving to Korea’s Sungkyunkwan’s Institute of Nanoscience and Technology (SAINT) to complete her doctoral studies.

The winner of the 2021 IFSCC Maison G de Navarre Young Scientist Essay Prize is Jin Hui Zuo of China (Shanghai Pechoin Daily Chemical Co Ltd). He was presented with his award virtually at the 2021 IFSCC virtual Cancun Conference in 2021. A formal award presentation will be done at the 2022 IFSCC Congress in London.

The winner of the 2019 IFSCC Maison G de Navarre Young Scientist Essay Prize was Yan Liu of China (Shanghai Pechoin Daily Chemical Co Ltd). He was presented with his award at the 2019 IFSCC Conference in Milan.

Here are the most recent winning essays:

2024 Maison G de Navarre Winning Essay – Kerry-Anne Viljoen

2023 Maison G de Navarre Winning Essay – Dr Marta Gonçalves

2021 Maison G de Navarre Winning Essay – Jin Hui Zuo

2019 Maison G de Navarre Winning Essay – Yan Liu

2017 Maison G de Navarre Winning Essay – Franziska Wandry

2015 Maison G de Navarre Winning Essay – C. Amata

Complete list of Winners:

2024: Kerry-Anne Viljoen, South Africa

2023: Dr Marta Gonçalves, Portugal/Korea

2021: Jin Hui Zuo, China

2019: Yan Liu, China

2017: Franziska Wandrey, Switzerland

2015: Chaikriangkrai Amata, Japan

2013: Mauricio Guzman Alsonso, Colombia

2011: Pinky Purohit, USA

2009: Adrien Cousy, Australia

2008: not awarded

2007: Muchaneta Mutasa, South Africa

2006: Megan Jones, South Africa

2005: Paola Perugini, Italy

2004: John Jiménez, Colombia

2003: Jong-Won Shim, Korea

2002: Kerryn Greive, Australia

2001: Rosina Pelosi, Australia

2000: Katherine Brasier, Australia

1999: Martin Krause, Germany

1998: Karen Rogers, USA

1997: Andrea Weber, Germany

1996: Matthias Vey, Germany

1995: Annette Bonfert, Germany

1994: Jeanetta du Plessis, South Africa

1993: Michael Adeney, Australia

1992: not awarded

1991: Lan Hester, USA

1990: Antonio Tsi, Spain

1989: Birgit Hofmann, Germany

1988: Janet Castandea, USA

1987: Brian Parker, Ireland