Celebrating 20 years of excellence in clinical testing

Future Cosmetics has played a significant role in pioneering commercial clinical testing in South Africa. Over the past two decades, the company has delivered a continuous, personalised service to its customer base, utilising world-renowed, well-published and accepted instrumental systems to ensure innovative efficacy and claim substantiation testing for cosmetics and related products. By Abby Vorster

Established in 2001 by Heibrie le Roux, Future Cosmetics operates as a boutique clinical research organisation.The company specialises in upfrontconsultation and protocol design in order toprovide robust scientific substantiation forthe applicable claims.

The company’s holistic approach toclinical studies is complemented by Heibrie’sin-depth knowledge of the cosmeticsindustry. Her many years of experience inSPF ring testing and her involvement invarious technical committees associatedwith ISO have provided an indispensablebody of knowledge to the South Africancosmetics industry. Future Cosmetics is considered by many as being at the forefront of developments in commercial SPF applications, providing expert advice on sunscreen product development and SPF testing methods. Heibrie has also harnessed her industry knowledge to expand into clinical testing for ethnic skin, establishing appropriate test methods that yield the best results for customers.

“At Future Cosmetics we keep abreast of global test method developments and harmonisation efforts and all our clinical testing is performed in line with international standards. We also focus on quick turnaround times to ensure our customers can meet their commitments,” she explains.

VOLUNTEERING UPLIFTS COMMUNITIES

Because of the nature of Future Cosmetics’ business, it is imperative that the company operates in line with the highest ethical standards. This is made possible by automated work processes and utilising technologically advanced lab equipment. These processes also facilitate appropriate volunteer selection to ensure Future Cosmetics meets and exceeds its social entrepreneurship and upliftment commitments.

Extending beyond its social entrepreneurship approach, the company has partnered with NGOs and social development entities to uplift communities by providing volunteering opportunities.

“These NGOs are mainly concerned with abandoned and abused pregnant women, whom we provide with financial support,” says Heibrie. “We also offer them training and development opportunities, ultimately helping the women integrate themselves back into a working environment and society in general. The compensation our volunteers and recruitment partners receive goes towards their children’s education, to beautifying themselves and their family members, providing food for their families and uplifting the general community.”

Humbled by their gratitude, Heibrie recalls receiving letters from volunteers in the past thanking Future Cosmetics for the difference the company has made in their lives.

Did you know?

Since inception, Future Cosmetics has performed clinical work or evaluations on an excess of 7 400 test samples. The company has also expanded into claim substantiation of washing powder, baby diapers, feminine hygiene products and hand sanitisers.

OPERATIONAL UPGRADES AND EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT

Even after 20 years, Future Cosmetics isstill an agile business that is able to adapt in changing times. With COVID-19 further shaping the cosmeticclinical trial in its current format, Heibrie says that the layoutof their premises has been ideal to implement social distancingand ensure compliance with COVID protocols.

“Adaption and innovation in relation to health andenvironmental factors have provided an opportunity fordigitisation at Future Cosmetics. We now recruit via electronicmedia and platforms and have adopted electronic consentforms, all fully integrated into our planning system. With theupgrade of our accounting system, we have implemented anelectronic system for expense claims of various cost elements,reducing the administrative requirements for paying volunteers.In the foreseeable future, we will also make digitisationimprovements to our key dermatological instrumentation.”

Future Cosmetics facilitates the cross-functional learningamong its team of employees because internal training andemployee development are important aspects of clinicalstudies. Some of Future Cosmetics’ team members specialisein specific testing methods, while others flex and are known fortheir versatility. The company also trains individuals from itsrecruitment partners, exposing them to various study selectioncriteria and other opportunities for growth and development.

“We are extremely grateful for the industry support andthe long standing and loyal support of our customers overthe past 20 years,” comments Heibrie, highlighting thatFuture Cosmetics is looking forward to new opportunities incosmetic clinical studies coupled with its expansion in Africaand internationally. •

Future Cosmetics – futurecosmetics.co.za

THE 20-YEAR JOURNEY OF FUTURE COSMETICS

2001: Future Cosmetics is founded by Heibrie after purchasing the assets of a liquidated skin care business based in Johannesburg. Operating out of a home office with an area converted into a laboratory with temperature and humidity controls, Heibrie starts patch and SPF safety testing.

2002: The company diversifies into manufacturing, producing liquid skin washes for pharmaceutical wholesalers.

2003: Further customer expansion sees Future Cosmetics moving its manufacturing from a small rented warehouse to a fully-fledged factory in Silverton, Pretoria. Heibrie also starts to manufacture sunscreens in the new facility while increasing the SPF testing and consultancy areas of the business.

2006: Considerable growth makes it necessary for Future Cosmetics to seek consolidated premises. Heibrie purchases a 1ha piece of land in Grootfontein Country Estate in Pretoria and relocates the business there in August 2006. Over time, the premises are converted to include ample factory space and various laboratories for conducting efficacy studies. Future Cosmetics also participates in SPF global ring studies as part of Heibrie and South Africa’s involvement in ISO TC217.

2008: The facility renovations and laboratory layout are completed, providing for SPF laboratories, patch safety testing laboratories, a main efficacy laboratory for various clinical studies as well as waiting and acclimatisation rooms. Sufficient workspace is also made available for demarcation and wash areas, a hair testing laboratory and volunteer resting areas. The customer base grows, both locally and internationally, and the clinical trial offerings are expanded into additional efficacy studies.

2015: Heibrie is elected coordinator of the working group to establish the South African Good Clinical Practice guidelines in consultation with SABS, CTFA and various industry experts. She resigned from this working group in 2017.

2018: After travelling annually to various global destinations to fulfil her obligations for ISO TC217, Heibrie resigns from her position as convenor of the SABS ISO TC217 Working Group 7 on Sunscreens. While actively participating in the local cosmetics industry, presenting on sunscreens at Coschem and CTFA conferences and at working group events, she also takes time to support her eldest son during his Matric year while assisting her youngest with his forming years.

2019: Future Cosmetics invests in new equipment and infrastructure, including on-site back up electricity generation. Wi-fi is implemented throughout the premises and a new accounting and document archiving system is adopted to substantially improve customer service.

2020: The business closes for clinical studies for six weeks as a result of the COVID-19 hard lockdown. On reopening, Future Cosmetics starts to test hand sanitisers and from mid-May it proceeds to reopen for other clinical studies.

2021: Future Cosmetics celebrates 20 years of service delivery to the global cosmetics industry which coincides with the launch of its new website and social media pages for the business.

The company has partnered with NGOs and social development entities to uplift communities by providing volunteering opportunities