In some instances, products are specifically designed to be hydrating, for example lip balms or lipsticks. In these cases, proving the degree of hydration provided by a particular product or material can be key to a marketing campaign.

Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) unlocks the secret of lip care products’ thermal behavior. This thermoanalytical technique measures how a material's heat capacity alters with temperature, shedding light on a product’s melting characteristics.

Transfer testing can be used to provide insights into a lip product’s performance and wearability, which are common claims for lip care cosmetic items.

Tribology, or the science of interacting surfaces in relative motion, is a study into the friction, wear and lubrication of a particular product with another surface. In terms of lip care products, this is the friction between the product and the lip experienced by the user during application. Too high a friction coefficient and the user may feel like the product is draggy or abrasive, whereas a lower coefficient of friction may feel pleasant and luxurious.

Measuring the hardness and adhesiveness of a lip care product can provide valuable insight into competitor products, different formulations and lipstick behaviors after different environmental stresses, for example under heat or cold. For example, a lipstick that is too firm may result in a difficult application process, or a lip gloss that is too adhesive may feel heavy or sticky.