Advancing RIFM’s NCS risk assessment science for German cosmetics assessors
3.28.25
Last week, RIFM’s Director of Scientific Operations, Danielle Botelho, PhD, participated in a German Society for Scientific and Applied Cosmetics (DGK) and Industrial Association for Personal Care and Detergents (IKW) seminar for cosmetics safety assessors in Frankfurt, Germany. DGK and IKW have continuously refined this training program for 25 years, updating the course modules as the science evolves.
Dr. Botelho shared the RIFM Natural Complex Substance (NCS) evaluation process, including some of the challenges specific to NCS ingredients.
“NCS ingredients, which are extracted from plants, contain several individual fragrance materials with different physical-chemical properties,” Dr. Botelho explained. “Assessing an NCS ingredient differs from an individual material in that you assess many materials rather than just one.”
She also touched on the broader scientific acceptance of RIFM’s approach and the importance of a collective understanding of the science supporting NCS assessment.
“Sharing this knowledge with assessors worldwide is crucial, as it ensures that we all approach NCS ingredients with a deeper understanding and a more unified, scientifically-backed method that benefits both safety and innovation in the global cosmetics industry.”