What Touches Your Skin: The Role of Laundry and Personal Care Products
Join SCC for a full day of science, connection, and conversation as we explore the surprising overlap between laundry care and personal care formulation, and what it means for the products that touch our skin every day.
Date: October 14, 2026
Venue: Serafresca, 1620 Newfield Ave, Stamford, CT
Registration Fees
Members Early Bird: $30
Regular: $50
Non-members: $130 per person
Student: $10 per person
At the door: $150 per person
Agenda
10:00 – 10:40 am: Peter Tsolis
10:40 – 11:20 am: Dr. Huifang Li
11:30 am – 12:30 pm: Lunch
12:30 – 1:10 pm: Marisa Plescia
1:10 – 1:50 pm: Valerie Gendelsman
1:50 – 2:15 pm: Break
2:15 – 3:00 pm: Keynote Q&A, moderated by Anushka Nadkarni
Event Moderator: Chris Burger
Speaker: Peter Tsolis
Vice President of Research & Development, Skincare Category, The Estée Lauder Companies
Rethinking Skincare: The Evolution of Our Relationship with Skin
Our relationship with skin is evolving alongside advances in technology, shifting consumer behaviors, and changing perceptions of beauty and wellness. Technology is giving consumers new ways to understand their skin through AI driven analysis, personalized products, biotechnology, and at home diagnostics, while cultural and social influences continue to shape expectations for skincare and the products we use. These changes are pushing formulation science into new territory, creating opportunities to rethink how polymers, emulsifiers, delivery systems, and multifunctional ingredients can work together to deliver greater efficacy, stability, personalization, and sensorial appeal. By connecting the evolution of consumer behavior with advances in formulation technology, this presentation explores how the industry can move beyond simply responding to emerging skincare trends and instead formulate for what comes next.
Peter Tsolis is a globally recognized leader in cosmetic science. With a distinguished career spanning some of the world’s most prestigious beauty brands, including La Mer, Clinique, Estée Lauder, M.A.C, and Tom Ford Beauty, Peter has led the creation of breakthrough products, technologies, and innovation platforms that have helped shape the future of skincare and color cosmetics. He is widely respected for bridging cutting edge science with consumer driven innovation, translating emerging technologies and advanced materials into transformative beauty experiences. A prominent voice in the global scientific community, Peter is Past President of the U.S. Society of Cosmetic Chemists and serves as President Elect of the International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists (IFSCC). He is also an Adjunct Professor at NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering, where he teaches graduate level polymer science. Peter serves on boards and advisory boards across academia and the beauty industry and holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in Chemistry from NYU, as well as an MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business. An inventor and prolific contributor to the field, he holds multiple patents and is a sought after speaker at leading global industry and scientific forums.
Speaker: Marisa Plescia
Founder, FemChem Beauty and President, National SCC
Sunscreen as a Second Skin: How SPF Formulation Influences Your Skin Beyond UV Protection
Sunscreen is often evaluated primarily for its ability to provide UV protection. Yet once applied, it becomes more than a photoprotective system. Sunscreen forms a persistent layer on the skin that can influence hydration, transepidermal water loss, occlusion, comfort, and the overall skin microenvironment. In this sense, sunscreen can function as a temporary “second skin.” This presentation will examine how the complete sunscreen formulation, including film formers, emollients, preservatives, and UV filters, can help shape the way the product interacts with the skin barrier. By viewing sunscreen as a second skin, formulators can move beyond evaluating UV filters alone and consider how the entire formulation affects both protection and skin performance.
Marisa Plescia is an experienced cosmetic chemist with extensive expertise and education, having received degrees and completed coursework in both the USA and Europe. She has earned four graduate degrees in Cosmetic and Fragrance Science, Business, and STEM education, graduating from both the University of Cincinnati Cosmetic Science program and ISIPCA in France. As the founder of FemChem Beauty, a formulation, R&D, and product development consultancy, Marisa leverages her years of experience as a formulator to innovate, create, and deliver high performance personal care products. A dedicated member and volunteer in the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, Marisa is the President of the National Board of Directors in 2026 and was previously the Twin Cities Chapter Chair (2020-2022). She has been quoted and featured in media including the Washington Post, NPR, and New York Times.
Speaker: Valerie Gendelsman
Senior Manager, all® Laundry Detergent Product Development, Henkel
Bridging Formulation Science: Similarities and Differences Between Laundry Detergents and Personal Care Products
Laundry detergents and personal care products seemingly serve very different purposes. However, both categories use many of the same ingredient technologies, including surfactants, polymers, fragrances, and performance enhancers. This presentation explores the commonalities shared by laundry and personal care formulations while highlighting how differences in substrate, consumer expectations, and performance targets require unique formulation approaches. Through ingredient comparisons and real world examples, attendees will gain insight into how similar raw materials can be implemented to achieve distinct results.
Valerie Gendelsman is an R&D leader with 10 years of experience developing innovative laundry, personal care, and cosmetic products. She currently drives formulation strategy for brand initiatives on the all® laundry detergent product development team at Henkel. Prior to her current role, she led formulation development for Dial® hand soap and gained experience developing hair care and cosmetic products at other CPGs. Valerie earned a Master of Business and Science in Personal Care Science from Rutgers University and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Maryland College Park.
Keynote: Ellen Shepard
Senior Director, R&D Personal Care North America, Unilever, Trumbull, CT
Ellen Shepard is Senior Director of R&D for Dove and Dove Men+Care, North America, at Unilever, where she leads the scientific innovation behind some of the industry’s most trusted personal care brands. A chemical engineer by training, Ellen earned her Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from UConn’s College of Engineering and later returned to Storrs for her MBA. Over a 25-year career at Unilever she has grown from process engineer to technical leader, working across skin cleansing, deodorants and skin care, translating fundamental skin science into formulations, claims and products that reach millions of consumers.
Her work has delivered a series of firsts for the category: Unilever’s first mass-marketed micellar water cleanser; Dove’s first body wash reformulation in 17 years, featuring 24-hour Renewing MicroMoisture™ technology; and Dove’s first-ever Women’s Wellness Range, bringing expert, science-backed care to women navigating perimenopause and menopause. In 2025 she was named an inaugural CEW Innovator in recognition of her contributions to beauty science.
Beyond the bench, Ellen is a committed mentor and advocate for the next generation of scientists and engineers. She serves as a board member of UConn’s Gouin Women in Leadership Initiative, supporting the university’s next generation of women engineers and leaders. She is based at Unilever’s R&D site in Trumbull, Connecticut.
Speaker: Dr. Huifang Li
Research Fellow, University of Rhode Island
* By registering for this event, you acknowledge that photography and video recording will take place for promotional, educational, and documentary purposes. Images may be used on NYSCC social media, website, marketing materials, and publications.
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