The Bulgarian Association of Cosmetologists (BAC) was very proud to have won the 2019 Lester Conrad Educational Prize. BAC proposed two high-quality seminars a year for the three year period 2020-2022.

The first seminar was planned for May 2020. The pandemic meant this had to be cancelled but despite a difficult year the members of BAC were determined not to miss a second seminar and on 13 November 2020 this took place in Plovdiv, Bulgaria with a hybrid format, with six lectures in total to compensate for the cancelled May event.

Three Bulgarian scientists presented their lectures dedicated to Bulgarian plants and to plant cells as a source of active cosmetic ingredients in front of a small audience following necessary precautions. Three international speakers presented their lectures remotely via Zoom. Chair of the IFSCC Scientific Committee Dr Frederic Leroy presented ‘Microbes: The future of skin care?’, Dr Adriana Bonfigli (ISPE, Italy) presented ‘In-vivo evaluation of the efficacy and the safety of cosmetic products: protocols and strategies’, and Dr Jordan Petkov (Lonza, UK) presented ‘How to substantiate a blue light protection claim in the current regulatory landscape – steps and learnings’. All BAC members were grateful for access to the latest developments in some of the most important cosmetic trends. Notably in 2020 the number of BAC members increased by 50% over 2019.

Two Lester Conrad Educational Seminars for were planned for 2021 – one at the end of June and a second one at the end of September. BAC members were delighted to participate in a live seminar on 28-29 June. IFSCC lecturer Dr Alina Nanu (Eurofins Evic Product Testing Romania SRL) presented ‘Safety claims – what is conveniently overlooked (marketing versus science)’, and Prof Mirela Moldovan (University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iuliu Hatieganu Cluj Napoca, Romania) presented ‘In vivo evaluations of cosmetic products (biophysical parameters and ultrasonographic evaluation)’. The audience was full (all 30 members attending the seminar and the two lecturers were vaccinated), there were many questions and useful discussions on the claims substantiation of various products. Discussions between Bulgarian cosmetologists and Romanian lecturers continued during dinner that evening and into 29 June 29. Especially excited and further motivated by the seminar and meeting were students from the master degree programme Cosmetic Science and Home care Formulations at Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski.

The Bulgarian Association of Cosmetologists also organised its General Assembly on 28 June. Members once again expressed praise for the events, with twice as many attendees in 2021 compared to 2020 and an almost 20% increase in BAC members.