Layering emerges as a new formulation challenge

The 26th Cosmed Scientific Congress, to be held on 29 September 2026 in Montpellier, will focus on the impact of increasingly complex skincare routines on cosmetic formulation. According to Cosmed, more than one in two consumers now applies between four and six facial skincare products every day, while nearly 15% use seven or more, requiring formulators to assess not only the efficacy of individual products but also their performance within complete skincare routines.

The conference programme will address interactions between active ingredients, formulation compatibility, product pilling, the evaluation of multi-product routine performance, and the safety implications of daily product layering. Several presentations will also highlight the use of artificial intelligence to map interactions between key cosmetic actives. The event is expected to bring together around 150 researchers, formulators, toxicologists and R&D professionals.