Full Name
Dr Theresa Callaghan
Job Title
Cosmetic Claims Development, Author & Scientific Affairs Specialist
Company
Callaghan Consulting
Speaker Bio
Dr Theresa Callaghan, PhD, is a biochemist with over 37 years in the personal care and cosmetics industry. She holds a PhD in Biochemistry and began her career as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Pasteur Institute in France. She participated in LVMH’s Capture project, transitioning from academic research to corporate skincare and cosmetics.
In 2008, Theresa founded a consultancy specialising in substantiating cosmetic claims and scientific communication. She helps brands navigate regulatory and scientific challenges and contributes to peer-reviewed journals and trade publications, promoting transparency in the industry.
She has held senior R&D roles with global companies such as LVMH, Unilever, Marks & Spencer, Johnson & Johnson, Evonik, Hill-Top Research, and proderm (now SGS). Her international experi-ence informs her consultancy, emphasising scientific rigour and industry insight.
Her work is widely cited and featured in the media. She serves on the editorial board of the Inter-national Journal of Cosmetic Science and is involved with professional societies such as the Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the British Herbal Medicine Association. She advises TKS Science Publisher, edits for EuroCosmetics Magazine, and contributes monthly to BEAUTYSTREAMS. She has guest lectured at the University of Sunderland.
She authored "Help I’m Covered in Adjectives: Cosmetic Claims & The Consumer" and the follow-up companion, ”Cosmetic Claims & The Myth of the Cheap Study" (2025), which challenges indus-try perceptions of value and emphasises science as a partner in creativity. She also writes fiction as Tess M. Calloway, specialising in cosmetic science thrillers, The Zoe Blaise Mysteries series
In 2008, Theresa founded a consultancy specialising in substantiating cosmetic claims and scientific communication. She helps brands navigate regulatory and scientific challenges and contributes to peer-reviewed journals and trade publications, promoting transparency in the industry.
She has held senior R&D roles with global companies such as LVMH, Unilever, Marks & Spencer, Johnson & Johnson, Evonik, Hill-Top Research, and proderm (now SGS). Her international experi-ence informs her consultancy, emphasising scientific rigour and industry insight.
Her work is widely cited and featured in the media. She serves on the editorial board of the Inter-national Journal of Cosmetic Science and is involved with professional societies such as the Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the British Herbal Medicine Association. She advises TKS Science Publisher, edits for EuroCosmetics Magazine, and contributes monthly to BEAUTYSTREAMS. She has guest lectured at the University of Sunderland.
She authored "Help I’m Covered in Adjectives: Cosmetic Claims & The Consumer" and the follow-up companion, ”Cosmetic Claims & The Myth of the Cheap Study" (2025), which challenges indus-try perceptions of value and emphasises science as a partner in creativity. She also writes fiction as Tess M. Calloway, specialising in cosmetic science thrillers, The Zoe Blaise Mysteries series
Speaking At
