Antimicrobial Protection in Cosmetics: Preserving your Formulations

Course Summary

This course is designed for formulators. The purpose of the course is to help formulators understand the requirements for their products – from a legal, safety, practical, and market point of view -, the testing involved, how to select the right solution and how to apply it. For formulators that are just starting out, the course introduces them to the topic of product protection. For more seasoned formulators, the course offers an up-to-date review of the current state of the legal environment, commonly used ingredients, and trends. In addition to providing an overview of the field of cosmetic preservation, the course also aims to provide context and a historical review.

Course Pricing:

• SCC Member: $430 Early / $480 Regular
• Non-Member: $575 Early /  $625 Regular
• SCC Junior or Student Member: $270 Early / $295 Regular

Note: companies registering 5+ SCC members for this course receive $25 off per registration. Companies registering 10+ SCC members for this course receive $50 off per registration. Discounted group registrations need to occur during the same online transaction. If you would like to submit a group registration of 5+ or 10+, or have any other questions about this event, please contact SCC Headquarters Staff.

ATTENTION NON-MEMEBERS: you will save money by joining the SCC prior to registering for this course. If applying for SCC membership, application processing takes up to five business days. If you would like to request expedited application processing, in order to sign up for this course, please send your request to education@scconline.org. Member pricing will not be in effect for CEP registrations until after the membership application is approved. 
 

 View our CEP Course Pricing and Refund Policy.
 

Course Outline

• What is product protection and why is it needed? An explanation of:
  • What happens to cosmetic formulations when antimicrobial protection is not used: causes, consequences, and remedies
  • How contamination occurs 
  • Main microbial contaminants 
  • Antimicrobial product protection
• A short history of preservation in food and cosmetics - a historical review of methods of antimicrobial protection of food and cosmetics, their advantages and shortcomings.

• What you need to know about Microbiology
  • A brief introduction to microbiology
  • Microorganisms of concern
  • Preservative Efficacy Test
  • Challenge Test Criteria for product protection

• Regulatory requirements - an overview of the regulatory status of product protection ingredients

• Consumer/retailer expectations and trends. A review of:
  • How consumer perceptions are influenced and have changed
  • Clean Beauty
  • Natural & Nature-derived products
  • Retailer blacklists
  • Ingredient concerns
  • Apps & Websites
  • Microbiome

•  Traditional preservatives. A review of:
  • Traditional preservatives used today, chemistries and applications

• Product protection enhancer (Preservative enhancers, multifunctionals)
  • A review of preservative enhancers and alternative/non-traditional preservatives

• "Preservative-free"/self-preserving formulations. A review of preservative-free formulations 

• Hurdle Technology. A review of the technology

• How to formulate for effective product protection. A review of raw ingredient incompatibility, manufacturing temperatures, order of addition, and incorporation into the water phase of the formulation

• Formulation types and their challenges. A review of:
  • Major formulation types used in cosmetics
  • Why they require different preservation choices
  • Challenges of individual formulation types


• Resources for formulators. A review of sources of information.

Instructors: Dr. Balint Koroskenyi

Format: In-Person

Date: Monday, May 18, 2026 (9:00 am - 5:00 pm ET)

During NYSCC Suppliers' Day

Location:

Jacob Javits Center 
429 11th Ave
New York, NY 10001

REGISTER NOW

NOTE: This course will take place on May 18, 2026, the day before the NYSCC Suppliers' Day Exhibition Show (May 19-20, 2026). You can register for this course by selecting it as an add-on option during the regular registration process for NYSCC Suppliers' Day.

About the Instructor

Dr. Balint Koroskenyi

Symrise Inc.

Dr. Balint Koroskenyi received his Master of Science Degree in Chemistry in Hungary with a minor in teaching and his Ph.D. in Polymer Science from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. He has held several positions in academia and industry encompassing 23 years of experience. He has worked in Personal Care as a bench chemist, as a technical account manager, and, in his current role, as a product manager for a total of over 7 years. He is currently a Senior Global Product Manager at Symrise’s Cosmetics Ingredients Division overseeing multifunctional ingredients used for Product Protection. He is a member of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists and the PCPC Micro Committee.