Nails Claims Testing
LABORATORY TESTING
Nail claim substantiation is a relatively new innovation that TRI has been at the forefront of developing, specifically to address the rapid industrial growth that the nail care industry has seen over the past decade. Many consumers now attend professional salons for manicures or pedicures, with numerous products including acrylic extensions, UV-cured varnish and nail builders designed to address common consumer complaints, such as weak or brittle nails. The team at TRI Princeton have developed testing regimens that allow for interrogation of cross-linking density and the hardness of nails, as well as the impact of humidity and hydration on nail care and decorative products.
Humidity and Hydration
Texture Analysis
Nail flexibility has been shown to be affected with nail hydration, with products that increase hydration in nails leading to an increased resistance to breakage. With products designed for weak and brittle nails, investigation of the physical properties of nail keratin, and nail behavior under controlled conditions can give valuable scientific insights to differences in formulations, as well as address key marketing claims that consumers want when looking for a nail care product.
Nail Strength
Differential Scanning Calorimetry
Nail strength has been shown to be linked to the degree of cross-linking of keratin in the nail. Generally speaking, nail-hardening treatments increase the amount of cross-linking within the keratin structure and nail softening treatments reduce cross-linking of keratin in the nails. In some instances, especially where products are designed for a specific purpose, quantifying the degree to which a treatment or product impacts upon a customer’s nail can provide excellent claims for marketing.