International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists (IFSCC) is a truly worldwide federation dedicated to international cooperation in cosmetic science and technology. Interest in the formation of such an organization crystallized in Paris in 1956 and culminated in the birth of the federation in Brussels, Belgium on September 8, 1959. Today, 51 societies representing 81 countries have met the high standards of scientific and educational qualifications of the IFSCC and, as members, support the organization's aims and programs. The number of individual members in the Federation now exceeds 16,000 and is still growing.