Technical Expert Team

Yash Kamath

Yash Kamath


Dr. Yashavanth Yash Kamath has conducted research for the fiber-textile and cosmetic industry for 32 years, most of them spent at the Textile Research Institute in Princeton, NJ.

Yash received his undergraduate (Chemistry and Physics) and Masters degrees (Plastic Technology) from the University of Bombay, and Ph.D in Physical Chemistry from the University of Connecticut. He joined TRI/Princeton as a postdoctoral fellow and worked his way up the ranks to become Research Director, a position he held for nearly a decade before he retired in 2006, after 34 years of service at TRI.

Currently he has his own consulting company ( kamathconsulting.net ) and continues his research work in the area of hair and skin cosmetics. In addition, Yash had a long tenure of research in the fiber-textile industry as reflected in his publications on fiber science in well known peer reviewed journals.

Nancy Jeffries

Nancy Jeffries


Nancy Jeffries is the former Editor-in-Chief of Soap & Cosmetics Magazine and Global Cosmetic Industry, and has been in the publishing field for more than twenty years. She began her career in publishing as a beauty assistant at Cosmopolitan magazine, and has written for and produced books and magazines on women's health, beauty and fragrance, as well as photography and the visual arts. She has a background in journalism and anthropology, and has traveled the world reporting on beauty and fragrance trends, viewed with a cultural perspective.
Karen Young

Karen Young


Karen Young, Chief Executive Officer

Before opening The Young Group in 1999, Karen was vice president of marketing & advertising for Lancôme, the prestige division of L'Oreal. In that capacity she also handled product development and sales promotion. Before joining Lancôme, she spent seventeen years at Estée Lauder, where she held a variety of executive positions, including director of color cosmetics.

Karen is an active board member of Fashion Group International, where she is chairperson of the Frontliners program. She is also active in Cosmetic Executive Women. Karen speaks fluent French and is an adjunct professor in FIT's Cosmetic Masters Program.

Since opening The Young Group, Karen has developed extensive color cosmetics, skin care and hair care product lines. She has also worked on numerous established brands in the beauty category including Christian Dior Parfums, Shiseido Skin Care & Cosmetics, Parfums Givenchy, Avon Products, Neutrogena and 3M Products.
Lori Stryker, B.Sc., B.H.Ec., B.Ed.

Lori Stryker, B.Sc., B.H.Ec., B.Ed.


Lori Stryker has been researching and developing all natural skin care and make-up for the purpose of offering men and women safe, natural cosmetics for everyday use. She brings to her research a specialist in human biology from the University of Toronto, coupled with a professional home economics degree and an education degree from the University of British Columbia, fusing chemical and biological knowledge with food, family and textile sciences.
Dr. Annelie Struessmann

Dr. Annelie Struessmann


Since 2003, Annelie Struessmann is Director of Technical Marketing with CONUS Business, Advice & Training, a provider of internationalization services for the Life Science Industries: www.conusbat.com

With responsibility for the areas Cosmetic / Personal Care, Fragrances, Food & Nutrition, Pharmaceuticals, she possesses more than 20 years of industry experiences in Technical Marketing, Application, R&D, Regulatory Affairs and Product Safety. Previous to CONUSBAT, she worked in various managerial functions with global companies at international locations, such as: International Flavors & Fragrances in the Netherlands, Akzo Nobel Chemicals in the USA & Germany, Rewo Chemicals & DHW Deutsche Hydrierwerke GmbH Rodleben in Germany.

Her educational background includes a Masters Degree in Chemistry & a BS in Food Chemistry from the Technical University RWTH Aachen, Germany. In addition, she received a Doctorate in Biopolymer Chemistry from the German Wool Research Institute (DWI) in Aachen, based on her work in Human Hair Science. She continued her research with the DWI for appr. 5 years, working on projects for Schwarzkopf/Germany & Clairol/Stamford-USA. From Clairol she was awarded the Companys prestigious Gelb Foundation Fellowship.
Doris De Guzman

Doris De Guzman


ICIS is the world's largest information provider for the chemical and oil industry. We aim to help chemical companies worldwide increase their revenues and profits by providing high-quality, business critical information, sales leads and brand positioning across the globe.

Our unrivalled range of print and online services enables us to get your company's brand and marketing message in front of senior executives and decision makers in the global chemical and allied industries.

Find out more about ICIS Chemical Business Americas

Patricia Lemann

Patricia Lemann


Patricia Lemann received her Engineering degree in Geology from the ENSG (Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Géologie) of Nancy, France, with a major in the physico-chemistry of powders.

She spent 14 years working in the Cosmetic Industry, firstly at the DIOR laboratories and mostly for the L'OREAL Research and Development laboratories.
Initially specialised in pigments, colour and optical effects in Applied Research, she was involved in projects dealing with new make-up, skin care and sun care products. She was then in charge of the Facial Colour Cosmetics (foundations and powders) Lab. After a short experience in a scientific communication department, she moved to the Development Division as head of the Lip Products Lab (1 billion € annual sales), for the brands L'OREAL PARIS, LA ROCHE POSAY, GARNIER and Créateurs de Beauté. She launched several new best selling products.

She also holds 30 patent applications.

Patricia Lemann is now an independent Scientific Cosmetic Consultant.
Vispi Kanga

Vispi Kanga


Vispi Kanga, currently a consultant in the cosmetics industry has over 30 years of domestic and international experience in the skin care cosmetics and personal care area working for multi-national companies like Unilever and P&G. He has hands-on experience formulating and developing superior skin care products that confer real benefits rather than just aesthetic appeal. His expertise in generating new technical knowledge, creating learning materials, dealing with multi-disciplinary groups has resulted in the development of new innovative products utilizing unique delivery systems. Vispi has given numerous presentations in the area of skin care formulations, raw materials and delivery systems to the HBA/PCITX, SCC and other organizations. He has followed the evolution of the cosmetic industry since the 70's to its current stature as a $15 billion business in the United States. His work has resulted in several patents related to Skin Care formulations and his professional affiliations are with the Society of Cosmetic Chemists and American Chemical Society. He received his M.S. in Pharmaceutics and Cosmetic systems from Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Long Island University, New York and his BS in Pharmacy from India. He is also an adjunct professor in the Graduate School of Natural Sciences at Fairleigh Dickinson University and a contributing editor for HAPPI Magazine.

His Cresskill, NJ based consulting firm Cosmet-Pharm Consultants, LLC is dedicated to the needs of the cosmetic, personal care and OTC topical drug products industry both domestically and globally. It provides services in product development, technology assessment cost savings and supply chain issues. It has expertise in providing customized training and knowledge management through on-site training seminars and product related short courses.
Theodore Gottlieb, Ph.D., J.D.

Theodore Gottlieb, Ph.D., J.D.


Dr. Ted Gottlieb earned his doctorate in biomedical sciences from the University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He obtained his law degree from Fordham University School of Law in New York City. Prior to becoming an attorney, Dr. Gottlieb had been an assistant professor in the Department of Cell Biology at New York University School of Medicine using recombinant and biochemical techniques to study the biology of epithelia. During this time he also taught human histology and gross anatomy to medical students. Dr. Gottlieb's work in intellectual property law began in 1997 focusing on patent procurement and counseling in the fields of chemistry, biotechnology, cosmetic and dermatologic compositions, personal care compositions and devices for using, medical devices, home appliances, and other mechanical devices and articles of manufacture.
Imogen Matthews

Imogen Matthews


Imogen Matthews has a long established reputation as a market research consultant and trade/business journalist specialising in the beauty industry. She has excellent contacts with companies, retailers and suppliers to the beauty industry combined with an in-depth understanding of industry issues.

Imogen writes for many leading international trade magazines and is renown for her expertise in market report writing.

Mort Westman

Mort Westman


With more than thirty years of experience in the research and development of personal care products Mort Westman is currently president of Westman Associates, Inc., an R&D consultancy providing laboratory and strategic assistance to marketers and suppliers in the cosmetics and toiletries industry. With a bachelors degree in chemistry and masters in organic chemistry from the City College of New York, (CCNY), Mort has been granted a number of patents and, most recently, has authored chapters on "Formulating Conditioning Products for Hair and Skin," and "Formulation Strategies for Multi-Functional Cosmetics," in texts published by Marcel Dekker, NY.

His professional experience began with the synthesis of hair dyes at Clairol. From there, he went on to the development of hair, skin, fragrance and aerosol products, for the Breck and Shulton divisions of American Cyanamid, where he eventually was named Section Manager. He then served as Director of Cosmetic Sciences at Cosmetic Toiletries and Fragrance Association (CTFA); Vice-president R&D and member of Executive and Management Committees at DowBrands; and Senior Director of R&D at Alberto-Culver. Mort has had R&D responsibility for the introduction and support of a number of major brands and has had prime responsibility for a number of significant research efforts.

Wouter Wiels

Wouter Wiels


Wouter WIELS studied Communication Management at the Ghent Institute for Business Management (Belgium). A series of interesting communication-experiences, all in the fields of fashion, design and luxury made a professional path that is all but "classic".

It turns out not to be a coincidence as this crossover approach has become his major asset. It perfectly reflects his dynamic and 360° vision when it comes to communication strategies, identity management and product development.

For Beyond Beauty Paris, he initiated and directed the development of a "new generation" trend and innovation platform, the Beyond Beauty LAB, from 2004 untill June 2008. The exhibitions "Strictly Confidential" (2005) "BEAUdiversiTY" (2006) and "Time is...Beauty" (2007) revealed numerous prospective scenarios for the comng years.

Nowadays he is involved in the creation of a major Paris' beauty event. From September 2009 onwards, "Rives de la Beauté" will allow different beauty players (brands, department stores, prestigious boutiques, specialty stores, suppliers, designers...) to express their vision of a modern and socially responsible beauty. Customer Relation Paradise, with other words.

In ist original vocation, Rives de la Beauté is comparable to what happens in the fields of design (Milan Design Week, Designers Days in Paris) and art (Nuit Blanche in Paris, the Venice Biennial), but through its independence, its crossover range, and its focus (beauty, perfumery, well-being), Rives de la Beauté is a unique and a fully original initiative on a global scale.

www.rivesdelabeaute.com

Nick Morante

Nick Morante


Nick Morante is currently a consultant to the cosmetics industry. He has over 30 years of experience in the formulation of color cosmetics and other makeup and emulsion-type products. He spent all of those 30 years at The Estée Lauder Companies where he had held various technical and managerial positions in Research and Development. Nick holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Life Sciences from the New York Institute of Technology and a Master of Science Degree in Organic Chemistry from Trinity Southern University, both in the United States. He has taken numerous continuing education courses in cosmetic sciences at The Center for Professional Advancement. Nick is a long time member and has been very active in the Society of Cosmetic Chemists where he has held many positions both on the local Chapter and National Executive Board levels. He is currently the National Secretary and a Fellow of the U.S. Society. He is also an instructor for the Society's (CEP) Continuing Education Program in the area of color and makeup formulation and is on the Society's "Ask the Expert" panel. He has appeared as an expert witness in numerous patent cases involving cosmetic ingredients, raw materials and processes. He holds a patent for an on-the-counter lipstick formulation system using electronic color measurement technology. He has given numerous presentations in the area of color cosmetics formulation and color instrumentation to the SCC, CTFA, HBA/PCITX as well as other major scientific organizations. He has also contributed numerous articles, editorials and has authored chapters on numerous cosmetic subjects for various notable scientific, industry and beauty publications, such as Cosmetics & Toiletries, Self, Allure, Prevention, O, The Oprah Magazine, and Cosmetic and Toiletries Manufacture Worldwide.
Barbara Olioso

Barbara Olioso


Barbara Olioso (36) is a doctor in industrial chemistry (Ca'Foscary University, Venice) and has an MSc in Food Science and Technology from the University of North Humberside and Lincolnshire. She began her career researching and sourcing nutritional supplements for soft drinks before moving to Aura Soma Products, Tetford, where she successfully upgraded the quality of the core equilibrium bottle product. She also converted the existing skincare range to an all-natural formulation, sourcing the raw materials and educating staff in best manufacturing practice. Moving west to Primavera Aromatherapy in Somerset, she conceived the first organic-certified EDT and managed the project from formulation to packaging. She is a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Society of Cosmetic Scientists.
David C. Steinberg

David C. Steinberg


BS Chemistry Drexel University
MBA Management Pace University

In 1995 founded Steinberg & Associates, Inc., a consulting company that specializes in cosmetic regulations, labeling, preservation and sunscreens. He has over 35 years experience in the cosmetic industry. He founded the Masters Degree program in Cosmetic Sciences at Fairleigh Dickinson University and taught there from 1982 to 2000. He is a member of the American Chemical Society, Society of Cosmetic Scientists, Institute of Food Technologists, Regulatory Affairs Professional Society and is a Fellow member of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists. In 1991 he was the President of the US Society of Cosmetic Chemists. From 1992-5 he served on the Presidium of the International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists.

In 2006, founded the Cosmetic Preservative Council and is the Executive Director.


He has written 4 books including Preservatives for Cosmetics (The second edition is now available), The Guide to the European Cosmetic Regulations, and has authored many papers and chapters in books. He has lectured worldwide on how to preserve cosmetic products, regulations and many other topics. Since 1995, he has written a regular column on Cosmetic Regulations for Cosmetics & Toiletries magazine.
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