Texture Analysis of a Spa Day

A trip to a spa is a feast for the senses designed to be as indulgent and relaxing as possible. Scented candles, smooth creams and scrubs rid the guest of layers of tired skin and rejuvenate their spirits. 

It is not a surprise, then, that the texture of the products involved is of high importance to manufacturers looking to supply high end spas, and Stable Micro Systems have a testing solution for almost every circumstance.

After a glass of Buck’s Fizz, the day might start with a facial and back massage. Once the skin has been prepared with a cleanser, an exfoliating scrub is used for its smoothing properties. For the delicate skin on the face and neck, it is important to control the friction felt underneath the scrub. A reliable measure of the friction felt between the hands and skin is achieved through imitative testing. There are now many manufacturers of artificial skin that produce mechanical properties very close to the real thing. Samples can be attached as a substrate to the probe and base on the Horizontal Friction Rig, and with adjustable test speeds, cycle numbers and applied force, this allows a very real measure to be made of the magnitude and force profile of skin on skin friction during the scrubbing process.

A face mask is then applied to soothe and hydrate the skin. In this case, the spreadability is key. If the mask is too easily spread, the layer will be thin and the mask will not stay in place while the active ingredients are taking effect. If it is too thick, the skin will be tugged during application. The Spreadability Rig provides a simple testing solution for this property, using a male-female cone pair to fully displace a small volume of the face mask sample in a spreading motion.

Horizontal Friction Rig; TTC Spreadability Rig HDP/SR; Nail Polish Adhesion Rig A/NPA

Once the client has finished relaxing after their facial, they might have opted to have a beauty treatment or two. Waxing is a popular choice, but nervous clients will be put off if the wax’s adhesive properties are not perfect. A weak bond will lead to each area requiring multiple attempts, whereas an overly strong bond can lead to skin bruising or even tearing. Adhesive testing on a range of formulations can help to achieve the optimum bonding properties. A spherical probe along with a custom test method will provide results representative of the real adhesion properties of wax samples.

Returning to a more soothing activity, the client may now have a manicure before going to relax with a cocktail. So they are not kept waiting, the beautician is likely to choose a nail polish they can rely on to have a short drying time. Stable Micro Systems have designed a rig to precisely test the properties of a film of nail polish during its drying and curing cycle. A thin layer of polish is drawn into a channel of uniform depth (representative of the layer actually applied during a manicure). A timer is then started, allowing ten adhesive tests to be performed on the same channel, with their properties recorded as a function of time. A combination of stickiness, stringiness and softness measurements allow precise determination of the point at which a polish is touch dry. At this point, the client can leave the salon and enjoy their Tom Collins in peace.


To find out more about Texture Analysis solutions in the personal care industry, contact Stable Micro Systems today.

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For more information on how to measure texture, please visit the Texture Analysis Properties section on our website.

The TA.XTplus texture analyser is part of a family of texture analysis instruments and equipment from Stable Micro Systems. An extensive portfolio of specialist attachments is available to measure and analyse the textural properties of a huge range of food products. Our technical experts can also custom design instrument fixtures according to individual specifications.

No-one understands texture analysis like we do!

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...