our scientists

Dr Elsabé Cloete is an interdisciplinary scientist and practicing chemist who holds several academic degrees and  international qualifications, including (BSc∙HONS(Math), HONS(Chem), MSc(CS*) PhD(CS*), Dip.Cos. Sci. (COSCHEM), EU Safety Assessor  Cert (Vrije University Brussels).
Being in academia for many years, she has authored/co-authored more than 50 scientific research papers. In 2003,  Professor Cloete exited from the Science Faculty of the University of  South Africa (Unisa) to the Personal Care industry. (*Computer Science)
Working for more than a decade for  a cosmetics & nutritional supplement company with several different business units, Dr Cloete has a wide range  of expertise, including formulating,  efficacy testing, upscaling, formulation  implementation, stability testing,  product problem solving, certification  and manufacturing. She has done extensive work on preservation  systems, emulsions and physical  stability of cosmetic products.
The European Union changed the cosmetic Directive 76/768/EEC into Regulation (2009/1223/EC) from June 2013 to improve harmonised cosmetic  law compliance amongst EU member  states. The new regulation not only  refined many details, but also now  addresses various issues, including  the ban on animal testing as well as environmental and health concerns in  cosmetics. Accordingly, before placing a cosmetic product on the market, the  safety of the product itself as well as  it’s ingredients has to be scrutinized  by a professional with the relevant  qualifications awarded by a European  university. In 2013, Dr Cloete, who is an environmentalist at heart, was the  first person on the African continent who completed this safety assessment  qualification amongst the top ten of the class in Brussels

Dr Sansha Coetzee is a qualified chemical engineer with a huge passion for cosmetics. She graduated with a Doctorate degree in chemical engineering in 2015, after which she was appointed as Post Doctoral fellow at the North-West University. During this time she published numerous research articles in esteemed international journals. Dr Coetzee joined Rain in 2016, and has since also completed her Cosmetic Science Diploma (COSCHEM). She is currently Head of Innovations at Rain, and is responsible for all R&D projects, including the launch of new upcoming products and ranges. Dr Coetzee applies her incredible passion for cosmetic products to develop and formulate new and innovative products that are in line with Rain’s ethos and identity.
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