Before a cosmetic product can be offered on the market, its manufacturer has to prove its safety and to substantiate the various claims on the products, e.g. the facial cream improves elasticity after 6 weeks of use or the body lotion improves the skin barrier. Usually the manufacturers of cosmetics forward their products for the final testing to contract research organisations (CROs) that perform all the required testing and compile the final documentation.
Such testing is expensive and takes time. The manufacturers cannot be sure that their products fulfil their intended purpose until those tests have been done. To be sure that the product will pass its requirements, in-house tests done with easy-to-use skin measurement equipment can offer useful information during its development. This way, you will get a clear idea on the performance of your formulation in all stages of development.
It is very easy to conduct such in-house tests in your own facilities. First devices for the measurement of skin entered the market for dermatological and cosmetic research in the 1980s. They enabled the scientists to gain objective insights into skin properties, such as its hydration status, sebum production, elasticity & firmness, colour and many more. For the first time, it was possible to compare the results of different treatments and evaluate products at different testing centres, using identical methods.
