Applied Cosmetic Science and Technology
Instructions for Authors
1. Aims and Scope
Applied Cosmetic Science and Technology (ACST) is an international, peer-reviewed journal that publishes important manuscripts on cosmetic science and technology. Papers can take basic, experimental, or applied approaches to cosmetic science and technology by integrating various disciplines. The journal welcomes novel studies on new boundary technologies that capture the trends of the times.
2. Copyright
The copyrights of all manuscripts submitted to the journal belong to the Society of Cosmetic Chemists of Japan (SCCJ).
ACST is a hybrid open-access journal under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA) License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/). For commercial use, please request SCCJ (info@sccj-ifscc.com) for permission.
3. Manuscripts for Submission
3.1 The manuscript should be written in English. Additionally, the editorial department recommends that manuscripts be checked by native speakers.
3.2 The manuscript should be prepared according to the Instructions for Authors and the Manuscript Submission Guidelines. Manuscripts must consist of an abstract, text, figures, tables, and photographs and should be sent to the journal’s Editorial Office by e-mail.
ACST Editorial Office (E-mail: sccj-edit@bunken.co.jp).
3.3 The title page should include the manuscript category, title, authors’ names, affiliations, and the e-mail address of the corresponding author.
3.4 The manuscript should be written in MS Word on plain white A4 paper in a vertical orientation with approximately 36 lines per page. Manuscripts can also be prepared using a template (a standard template for all categories). Data attachment: MS Word for the manuscript, JPEG or Excel for graphics data of figures and tables (please set a password for data attachment).
3.5 The date of receipt of the manuscript by the Editorial Office is recorded as the date received, and the date of decision of publication is recorded as the date accepted.
4. Manuscript Categories
4.1 Originals
Originals should report technologies that contribute to the development of cosmetic science and technology, and contain valuable conclusions or facts derived from innovative research related to these technologies.
4.1.1 The abstract should summarize the paper’s content, including the objective, methods, and results without headings in 200─300 words.
4.1.2 The manuscript should be arranged as follows: 1. Introduction, 2. Materials and Methods, 3. Results, 4. Discussion, 5. Conclusion, 6. References. (“Results and Discussion” is also acceptable.)
4.2 Short Communications
Brief, innovative studies related to cosmetic science or technology with valuable implications, including technical improvements, can be submitted as Short Communications.
4.2.1 The abstract should summarize the paper’s content, including the objective, methods, and results without headings in 200─300 words.
4.2.2 Manuscripts (introduction to conclusion) should be within 2,000-3,000 words, without figures and tables.
4.2.3 The manuscript should be arranged as follows: 1. Introduction, 2. Materials and Methods, 3. Results, 4. Discussion, 5. Conclusion, References. (“Results and Discussion” is also acceptable.)
4.3 Reviews
Manuscripts related to cosmetic science and technology, which systematize the development of scientific or technical knowledge, can be submitted as reviews.
4.4 Materials
Studies related to cosmetic science and technology that contain experimental results with strong implications, including new facts, valuable data, or meaningful data obtained from surveys or experimental studies, can be submitted as materials.
5. Peer Review and Resubmission
The journal uses single-blind peer review.
Manuscripts that do not fit the journal’s format will be returned without review. Originals, Short Communications, and Materials are subject to peer review by two referees selected by the Chief Editor from the list of reviewers. The review period varies by article category but is approximately one month. The Editorial Office then makes a decision based on the referees’ report whether it is accepted, rejected, or requires revisions. The final decision is made by the Chief Editor.
The Editorial Office may request a revision of the submitted manuscript if required. In principle, when a revision is requested, the manuscript should be resubmitted within one month.
6. Conflict of Interest
When submitting a manuscript, all authors are required to disclose any financial relationships with commercial manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, or other commercial entities interested in the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript.
7. Authorship
Authors must meet all the criteria defined by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). Anyone who does not meet the criteria below must not be listed as an author. Those who do not meet the following four criteria should be acknowledged.
- Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work
- Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content
- Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content
- Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work to ensure that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
Changes to the author list after manuscript submission, such as the insertion or removal of author names or rearrangement of author orders, must be approved by all authors and the editor.
8. Publishing and Research Ethics in Journal Articles
8.1 Submission to the journal implies that the manuscript has not been previously published (in part or in whole, in any language), is not in the press, or is not under consideration for publication elsewhere.
If the authors wish to submit their manuscript elsewhere before a final decision is made regarding its suitability for publication in ACST, they should first withdraw it from the journal.
8.2 When a study is conducted on human subjects, it should be noted that the subjects provide their consent and that the study has been approved by an ethics committee, board, or any equivalent organization. It is recommended that the date, approval number/code, and name of any approving organization be included.
8.3 In submitting an article for publication, sufficient consideration should be given to the personal information of the research collaborators. If mugshots are to be published, written consent of the collaborator should be obtained, and the content of the publication should be kept to the minimum necessary level, or the mugshots should be processed.
8.4 Reports containing data obtained from experiments using animals are returned to the authors without review.
9. Proofreading
The authors proofread the manuscript once. Changes during the proofreading stage should be limited to typographical errors. If the manuscript is not returned within a reasonable time, proofreading by the Editorial Office may be considered final.
10. Contact and Manuscript Submission
Editorial Office of ACSTE-mail: sccj-edit@bunken.co.jp
