Interest in the formation of such an organisation crystallised in Paris in 1956 and culminated in the birth of the federation in Brussels, Belgium on September 8, 1959. At that time there were only 8 countries entering the Federation – one of which was the UK & Ireland’s Society of Cosmetic Scientists.

Today, 50 Societies representing 80 countries have met the high standards of scientific and educational qualifications of the IFSCC and, as members, support the organisation’s aims and programmes. The number of individual members in the Federation now exceeds 16,000 and is still growing.

An IFSCC Congress currently happens bi-annually, in even years, with a smaller Conference in between. These events are hosted, organised and funded by a member Society. Hence this 32nd IFSCC Congress will be hosted by the SCS in London.