What Society of Cosmetic Chemists does

The Society of Cosmetic Chemists (SCC) is a Delaware-incorporated nonprofit 501(c)(3) professional membership association founded in 1945 and headquartered at 14 Wall Street, New York. It operates as the oldest and largest association in the cosmetics and personal care industry, serving more than 5,400 members worldwide through 19 chapters across the US and Canada. The SCC's core offering is professional membership organized into six tiers (General at $185/year, Affiliate, International, Educator at $92.50/year, Junior, and Student at $25/year), supplemented by a portfolio of integrated services delivered through www.scconline.org.

The SCC's product stack includes the peer-reviewed Journal of Cosmetic Science (Impact Factor 0.732, published bi-monthly and indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, and EBSCO), the SCC80 Annual Scientific Meeting & Showcase drawing 850+ attendees, a Media Library containing 250+ scientific presentation recordings, an Education and Certificate Program, an Industry Provider Directory, a Career Center, and the NextGen Program for early-career scientists. The organization also administers nine named scientific awards, including the Green Star Award (sponsored by Colonial Chemical), the Maison G. de Navarre Medal Award, and the Robert A. Kramer Lifetime Service Award.

The SCC's revenue model is built on recurring membership dues (six subscription tiers), event registration and corporate sponsorships (SCC80 sponsorship packages start at $575), and journal subscriptions, with distribution executed through a direct-to-member website portal and regional chapter networks. The organization maintains IFSCC membership to connect US cosmetic chemists with the international cosmetics science community, and is governed by an elected Board of Directors most recently refreshed with the 2026 election announced in October 2025.

Name

Society of Cosmetic Chemists

Legal name

Society of Cosmetic Chemists

Website

https://scconline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Society of Cosmetic Chemists is a nonprofit professional membership association founded in 1945 that serves more than 5,400 cosmetic scientists across 19 US and Canadian chapters through memberships, the peer-reviewed Journal of Cosmetic Science, annual scientific meetings, certification programs, and industry awards.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association / Cosmetic Science

akta.pro primary industry

Cosmetology (General) (EDAOALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Product & Consumer Compliance (Labeling, Claims, Safety) (EDABADAH), Personal Care & Cosmetic Ingredients (IMAEABAJ)

Keywords

• Cosmetic science association
• Professional membership organization
• Cosmetics industry education
• Formulation science training
• Personal care research

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from individual professionals across multiple membership categories including General, Affiliate, International, Educator, Junior, and Student members. Dues range from $25 to $185 per year depending on membership type.
2. Events and Sponsorships: Revenue from annual scientific meetings and showcases (SCC80, etc.), including registration fees and corporate sponsorships. Sponsorship packages start at $575.
3. Journal Subscriptions: The Journal of Cosmetic Science (JCS) generates revenue through subscriptions. The journal publishes 6 issues per year and is indexed in major databases including Scopus and Web of Science.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Society of Cosmetic Chemists operates as a nonprofit professional membership association serving more than 5,400 cosmetic scientists and industry professionals across the US and Canada. Its core offering is tiered individual membership (General, Affiliate, International, Educator, Junior, Student categories) bundled with access to peer-reviewed publications, scientific meetings, certificate education programs, networking chapters, and a career center. Revenue is generated through annual membership dues, event registration and sponsorships, and journal subscriptions.

Product overview

The Society of Cosmetic Chemists operates as a single unified membership service rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offering consists of professional membership (with multiple tiers), the peer-reviewed Journal of Cosmetic Science, the Annual Scientific Meeting & Showcase (SCC80), the SCC Media Library & Resource Center with 250+ scientific recordings, the Education and Certificate Program, the Industry Provider Directory, the Career Center, and the NextGen program for early-career professionals. Additionally, SCC administers scientific awards including the Green Star Award sponsored by Colonial Chemical. These services are integrated through the scconline.org website and are available to members who pay annual dues, with some premium content and events accessible to both members and non-member attendees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Society of Cosmetic Chemists Membership Tiered professional membership for cosmetic scientists and industry support professionals, with categories including General ($185/year), Affiliate, International, Educator ($92.50/year), Junior, and Student ($25/year). Provides access to the Journal of Cosmetic Science, SCC Media Library, local chapter events, the Annual Scientific Meeting, the Career Center, the Industry Provider Directory, and the Certificate Program.
• Journal of Cosmetic Science (JCS) The official peer-reviewed journal of SCC, publishing six issues per year on cosmetics formulation, skin physiology, color physics, emulsions, and consumer well-being. Identified by ISSN 1525-7886 (print) and 2689-5153 (online), and indexed in EBSCO, Scopus, and Science Citation Index Expanded (Web of Science). Available in print and online with a 2022 Impact Factor of 0.732.
• SCC Annual Scientific Meeting & Showcase Annual industry conference drawing more than 850 attendees from the cosmetics and personal care industry. Features keynote presentations, technical sessions, networking receptions, and an Exhibitor Showcase. Includes corporate sponsorship packages starting at $575 and Early Bird registration rates.
• Education and Certificate Program Professional education program for cosmetic scientists covering formulation, skin physiology, regulatory, and related topics. Includes a Certificate Program, individual courses, live webinars, and on-demand content. Available to members and the broader cosmetic science community.
• Industry Provider Directory Directory of service providers and suppliers in the cosmetics and personal care industry, organized into categories including Consultants, Distributors, Raw Materials, Recruiters, Schools, Technology, and Testing Laboratories. Connects members with vendors and service partners.
• Career Center Online job board connecting employers and job seekers in the cosmetics and personal care industry. Operated as a dedicated career portal at careers.scconline.org.
• SCC NextGen Program Membership program tailored to early-career cosmetic scientists, offering networking events, mentorship, and structured professional development opportunities to support the next generation of cosmetic chemists.
• SCC Media Library & Resource Center Online digital library providing SCC members with 250+ free scientific presentation recordings, on-demand educational content, and access to archived Journal of Cosmetic Science issues dating back to 1947.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 5,400 professionals served worldwide
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IFSCC (International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SCC maintains membership and active partnership with IFSCC, connecting US cosmetic chemists with the international cosmetics science community. IFSCC is mentioned on the membership page as a member benefit and international connection.
• Colonial ChemicalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerColonial Chemical sponsors the Green Star Award, providing funding and support for the annual sustainability award recognizing green formulations in the cosmetics industry.
• EBSCOminorOthersThe Journal of Cosmetic Science is indexed in EBSCO, providing discoverability and academic credibility through this major research database.
• ScopusminorOthersThe Journal of Cosmetic Science is indexed in Scopus, one of the largest abstract and citation databases of peer-reviewed literature.
• Science Citation Index Expanded (Web of Science)minorOthersThe Journal of Cosmetic Science is indexed in Science Citation Index Expanded (Web of Science) by Clarivate, providing academic credibility and citation tracking.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Chemical Society (ACS): Broad scientific professional society with division-level activity relevant to chemists. Comparable in operating a large membership society, peer-reviewed journals, and educational programs, but spans all chemistry rather than cosmetic science specifically.
• Personal Care Products Council (PCPC): US trade association representing the cosmetics and personal care products industry with a broader corporate/policy remit. Comparable as an industry association serving the same ecosystem, but it focuses on manufacturers and regulatory advocacy rather than scientific membership.
• Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC): UK-based scientific membership organization with peer-reviewed publications, events, and credentials. Comparable as a chemistry professional society with journals and education, though it covers all chemical sciences rather than cosmetics specifically.
• Independent Cosmetic Manufacturers and Distributors (ICMAD): US trade association for cosmetic brand owners and manufacturers. Comparable as a cosmetics industry association, though its core constituency is independent brand/manufacturer businesses rather than individual scientists.
• Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW): US professional network for cosmetics industry executives. Comparable as a cosmetics-focused professional community offering events, awards, and recognition, but oriented toward executives rather than formulation scientists.

Regional players

• Cosmetics Alliance Canada: Canadian cosmetics industry association. Comparable as a regional trade group serving the cosmetics ecosystem that SCC's Canadian chapters also engage.
• European Federation for Cosmetic Ingredients (EFfCI): European trade association for cosmetic ingredient suppliers. Comparable as a regional industry association serving the upstream supply side of the cosmetics ecosystem that SCC members participate in.

Direct peers

• In-Cosmetics Global: Major global tradeshow and conference for personal care ingredients and formulation. Comparable as a community-building event franchise serving cosmetic scientists, formulators, and ingredient suppliers, though operated as a commercial event rather than a nonprofit membership society.
• Society of Cosmetic Scientists (UK): UK-based sister organization serving cosmetic scientists with similar membership, events, and education programs. Directly comparable in mission and member profile, though regional in geographic scope.
• International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists (IFSCC): Umbrella federation of national cosmetic chemist societies of which SCC is a member; the most direct peer in mission, structure, and constituency (cosmetic scientists globally), although it operates as an umbrella rather than a single national society.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/societycoschem
• Facebookfacebook.com/SocietyOfCosmeticChemists
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/society-of-cosmetic-chemists

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Society of Cosmetic Chemists