Cosmetic and Skincare Product Texture Measurement and Analysis

The global beauty industry was valued at $465bn in 2014, up 23bn which came in equal proportions from premium and mass brands. 

Skincare and haircare dominated the global market and is where future potential lies, especially in facial moisturisers, anti-agers and face masks.

Before paint was ever splashed onto canvas or cave walls, it was daubed on faces and bodies, not only for symbolic purposes but for decoration too. Today, a plethora of beauty products are seen lined up in the display windows and shelves of shops and stores everywhere.

The cosmetics and personal care market is extremely crowded with new product introductions making it an extremely competitive arena. In this industry, the combination of good marketing and product quality must be compelling to gain shelf space, consumer attention and repeat purchase.

Today, differently formulated cosmetics use several thousand ingredients, both natural and synthetic. New ingredients come about frequently and the real usefulness of each is determined by evaluating a material compared to similar materials already on the market. The designer is faced with the challenging task of developing new aesthetically appealing formulations which deliver functional properties – such as cleansing, conditioning, skin moisturisation, viscosity and mildness – at an price affordable to the consumer.

There is a growing use of polymers in cosmetic and personal care formulations such as natural gums, as well as modified cellulosics used for their ability to modify viscosity. Whilst higher viscosities do not always provide the best textural properties and aesthetics some polymers act in a synergistic way to provide dramatic viscosity enhancement. The quality and appeal of a cosmetic product is decided by factors such as its texture, appearance, odour and performance.

Increased attention has been focused on the objective evaluation of cosmetics to improve their performance and to fulfil the requirements in legislation demanding proof of certain product claims. Advances in cosmetics tend to be a succession of small improvements; companies often need to start at an early stage of product development to evaluate products for verifiable changes, and need carefully conducted experiments in order to provide definite information. Likewise it is important to obtain knowledge about competitors' products and to achieve competitive advantages.

Information about product performance can be obtained by the use of texture analysis, which can play a pivotal role in measuring product conformity and compliance with standards as well as analysing and controlling the desired textural features of any new or existing product for the market.

Analysis of the way in which different types of cosmetics respond to the tests provide the manufacturer with vital information: which combination of ingredients is the ideal for a particular product; which processing methods/times produce the best results; and whether the quality is consistent.

Typical tests for cosmetics and skincare products
Waxes: hardness, stickiness; Gels: spreadability, gel strength/rupture/elasticity; Waxing strips: peelability; Lipstick: hardness, resilience/bending force; Soap: hardness; Pencils: hardness/rigidity; Powder: cohesion, caking, speed dependence; Compacted powder: cake strength; Creams: consistency; Skin tightening products: indentometric test; Packaging: peel strength: Aerosols: actuation force; Sachets/tubes: content removal.
Watch the video below to see a summary of the types of testing possibilities that are available for the measurement of cosmetic and skincare products.

You can also visit our website's Cosmetics and Skincare Applications page...