Meet Rabije Cekovic, senior chemist at Skinceuticals and one of the rising stars in the field of science and formulation engineering.
Despite women making up roughly half the workforce in Australia, they occupy just 16 percent of the STEM-skilled workforce. The US is performing only marginally better, with women holding 27 percent of STEM jobs. In this spotlight, we highlight one of the women cracking science’s glass ceiling.
Rabije Cekovic is one of L’Oréal’s rising stars in the field of science and skincare engineering. Working on the SkinCeuticals brand as a Senior Chemist on its most challenging and advanced projects, “Rabi” now holds three patents pending for new innovative technologies in the field of skincare from her first three years working with the brand. She is currently working on strategic projects in key areas such as antioxidants and advanced medical and ageing and regularly collaborates with SkinCeuticals’ global leaders to bring about new innovations for skin.
Q&A with Skinceuticals senior chemist Rabije Cekovic
SkinCeuticals has been behind some of the most pivotal skincare discoveries in recent history. Why is ongoing research so important in skincare?
Ongoing research is so important at SkinCeuticals because it is our path to innovation. SkinCeuticals is always seeking out highly efficacious ingredients with interesting mechanisms of action for our next breakthrough. As a brand focused on medical integrated skincare with a professional-centric approach, we’re always looking to the future of health as we try to anticipate the needs of our patients and our physicians.
Which products have you personally developed?
I have personally worked on the development of Micropeel Solution for Sensitive Skin, which is a professional chemical peel designed to be mild enough for sensitive skin. This particular product was complex due to its high level of acids, as well as its high level of chamomile and sage extracts. As extracts are natural substances, they are accompanied by impurities which we had to figure out how to address. I have a couple of patents in the works as well, so watch this space!
Can you talk us through the process and formulation behind SkinCeuticals’ Vitamin C serums?
The process and formulation behind SkinCeuticals’ Vitamin C serums is not an easy one. Vitamin C is a very difficult ingredient to formulate with. It is inherently unstable. The stability of Vitamin C is impacted by several factors such as heat, air and light.
At SkinCeuticals, we perform many trials to test the stability of our Vitamin C formulas. We analyse the level of Vitamin C under extreme conditions at various timepoints to ensure we have minimised the degradation of Vitamin C to provide optimal efficacy over the course of the shelf life of each product.
What do you use in your own daily skincare routine?
I start off with Gentle Cleanser. I love it because it’s so mild and softening and my skin can be sensitive. Then, I follow with C E Ferulic because we all need protection from the environmental aggressors we face day-to-day and CEF does it best. And finally, Sheer Physical UV Defense because sun protection is so important, and I love how lightweight this one feels.
What are your career highlights? (so far!)
As a chemist for SkinCeuticals, I love to see the fruits of my labour culminate in a product that people can use and benefit from. This was always the ideal place for me to be because it couples my academic interests in the sciences with my personal passion for skincare. I’ve had challenges with my own skin and know it can really take a toll on self-confidence. So, being able to develop products that will help others with the same challenges highlights all else.
What’s next for you and SkinCeuticals?
SkinCeuticals recognises the consistent increase in visits to physicians for skincare treatments globally and our goal is to elevate that experience. The pandemic has led to a heightened curiosity about health, and at SkinCeuticals we will continue to look to the future of health to anticipate the needs of our patients and physicians. This way, at the end of the day, the best results you can get are from visiting SkinCeuticals physicians. CBM
