EURO COSMETICS: John, what topic are you addressing in your speech at the IFSCC Congress?John Jiménez: In my lecture I am going to talk about the topic of sensory inclusion and I am also going to present some examples of this concept. I believe that inclusion, seen from science, represents a great opportunity for innovation for the cosmetics industry. There are many definitions and points of view about inclusion, I like this definition: “Inclusion is ensuring that all people can have the same opportunities to fulfill themselves as individuals, regardless of their characteristics, abilities, disabilities, culture or medical attention needs.” It is also important to mention that a few years ago, one of the globally recognized cosmetic companies found a very interesting consumer insight: “More than 50% of consumers feel excluded by the cosmetics industry.” Therefore, at the level of inclusion there is much to be done in our industry.
EURO COSMETICS: How important are the sensory properties in cosmetic products for consumers?
John Jiménez: In the new post-pandemic reality we are living in, consumers are eager to live new experiences. After the long lockdowns, we all yearn for many new experiences in many categories such as food, beverages, tourism, fashion and of course cosmetics as well. The sensory properties are the ones that direct the user experience of the products and that is why they are so important and at the same time they are a challenge for the industry, since a lot of innovation is required in new materials, concepts, benefits, etc. The sensory profile is the connection that the consumer has with the cosmetic and makes him like it or not like it, for example, from the first moment he starts using the product.
EURO COSMETICS: And is the purchasing decision reinforced by the sensory experience, regardless of the brand?
John Jiménez: Yes, the sensory experience is definitely a driver for the purchase and it is something that brands know very well, which is why cosmetics are surprising us more and more. The cosmetics industry is one of the fastest innovating in the world, which is why it is so exciting to work in the area of design and formulation of new products. There are many neuroscience, marketing and innovation studies that have shown how certain sensory elements influence the purchase decision, this is a very large area where we are seeing a lot of new research and concepts.
There are many neuroscience, marketing and innovation studies that have shown how certain sensory elements influence the purchase decision, this is a very large area where we are seeing a lot of new research and concepts.
EURO COSMETICS: Does this also influence perception when it comes to the effectiveness of a product?
John Jiménez: Yes, definitely, the sensory profile has an influence on the perceived effectiveness of a product. A clear example is the psychology of colour, which studies the influences of color and also of chromatic chords on the perception of products. A chromatic chord is a mixture of different colors, in different proportions, which will have a positive or negative effect on the way a product is perceived. In the literature we also see very interesting studies on the effect that various chromatic chords have on the perception of a product. In this area there are also many opportunities to do scientific research that maximizes the cosmetic benefits of products.
EURO COSMETICS: And what new innovations will result from this for the future?
John Jiménez: In the future we will see how the sensory experience will be integrated with inclusion. For example, at a global level, the WHO indicates that 3.6% of people worldwide are suffering from PTSD (Posttraumatic stress disorder), 75 million in the world have autism, currently more than 55 million people live with dementia worldwide and 366 million of people worldwide with ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder). There are many people who need help and cosmetics will contribute a lot to improve their quality of life. Then we will see very interesting innovations for these segments of the population. This is a topic that I will also address in my lecture.
EURO COSMETICS: What is your message for this year’s IFSCC Congress?
John Jiménez: First of all, I want to thank the organization of the congress for inviting me to be a Keynote speaker, I am very happy to participate in this edition and I take this opportunity to invite the scientific community to attend the congress. I am sure that the audience will enjoy the academic program and the social activities. In addition, Barcelona is a charming city and it will surely be the perfect setting to present new cosmetic innovations to the scientific community.
EURO COSMETICS: Your presentation will cover different aspects. Can you tell us more about the topics you will cover in your speech?
John Jiménez: Of course, there are topics that I have defined based on the experience in congresses and previous publications, due to the queries that I usually receive. One that seems very interesting to me is the difference between neuromarketing applied to cosmetics and neurocosmetics. They are two very different topics and in the presentation we will see the differences. I will also talk about the differences between explicit and implicit perception and how the development of innovations at an implicit level represents a great opportunity for the industry. Another very interesting topic that I will present is how music is presented as an interesting ally to develop innovations in our industry.
EURO COSMETICS: And what new impetus do you want to give to the trade audience?
John Jiménez: Well, first of all we are in the post-pandemic world and it really is a great pleasure to return to the great cosmetic scientific events in the world as normal. I want to invite all readers and cosmetic scientists to attend the IFSCC world congress in Barcelona. Really, I have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the keynote, scientific and poster presentations. The level of innovation is very high and it is an excellent opportunity to make contacts and strengthen ties with all the players in the fascinating world of cosmetic chemistry.
EURO COSMETICS: John, thank you for your time and speaking with us.
John Jiménez: Thank you very much for the invitation, it is always a pleasure to collaborate with EURO COSMETICS Magazine.
John Jimenéz
John Jiménez is currently Senior Researcher at Belcorp Colombia. He is a Pharmacist (National University of Colombia) with a Master degree in Sustainable Development (EOI Business School, Madrid) and specialization studies in Marketing, Cosmetic Science and Neuromarketing. John has 28 publications in scientific journals and a book chapter in cosmetic formulation.
Maison G de Navarre Prize (IFSCC 2004), Henry Maso Award (IFSCC 2016) and best scientific papers at Colamiqc Ecuador 2009, Colamiqc Brazil 2013 and Farmacosmética Colombia 2014. He has been a speaker at various international conferences in Europe and Latin America and was President of Accytec Bogotá from 2017–2019.
