Skin & Scalp Claims Testing
LABORATORY TESTING
The skincare market is a key segment of the global beauty industry. TRI has a powerful set of state-of-the-art tools and techniques to study the skin and the scalp. Our tests can be performed as pre-clinical studies within TRI, or as part of a full clinical studies, where TRI partners with professional clinical testing companies both in the US and around the world. TRI also offers skin cell culture studies, in vitro skin penetration studies, and skin lipid analysis. TRI reports are recognized around the world as being unbiased and of high quality.
For clinical studies TRI is proud to partner with:
Claims Testing Categories
Active Penetration
Actives deposition and penetration testing can provide clear visualization data, allowing you to see the behavior of dermatological actices on the skin. This is particularly useful for claims where penetration or deposition is required for function, such as sunscreen products and plumping products, as well as seeing how well products rinse off the skin.
Active Deposition and Penetration • Imaging
Fluorescence Microscopy
Sometimes, for technical reasons, it is extremely challenging, if not impossible, to visualize active penetration in biological tissues using vibrational spectroscopy, especially when the actives are peptides or oils. In these specific cases, the use of fluorescence probe can offer a suitable alternative to visualize the penetration of these components using fluorescence microscopy.
Active Penetration • Quantification
Diffusion Cell Experiments
The clinical efficacy of any cosmetic or medicinal skin active is determined not only by its intrinsic activity, but also by its delivery to the site of action. Pre-clinical skin delivery studies are, therefore, essential in ensuring that active delivery is maximized and that clinical tests are successful.
Active Deposition and Penetration • Imaging
FT-IR and Raman Microspectroscopy
Obtaining a clear picture of how dermatological actives penetrate the skin is vital for optimizing topical formulations and supporting claims. Imaging surface deposition and retention is also important for many applications, particularly for sunscreen and rinse-off systems.
Active Deposition and Penetration • Imaging
Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS)
Sometimes, for technical reasons (sensitivity), it will be impossible to visualize active penetration in the skin using FTIR microscopy, confocal Raman microscopy, or fluorescence microscopy. In these instances, Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (TOF-SIMS) microscopy might offer a suitable alternative for molecular as well as for elemental analysis.
3D Mapping Techniques
3D mapping can show the distribtution of products across a particular body area, such as the face. This is often used by the sun protection industry and decorative cosmetics industries to show how a product wears over time.
Skin Cleansing
Monitoring sebum levels can be a key metric for investigation of how well a product cleanses the skin. Alternatively, monitoring sebum levels can allow for benchmarking between different brands therefore claims relating to 'mildness' or 'gentleness' can be substantiated.
Sebum Levels & Composition
Spectroscopy
TRI uses FTIR spectroscopy to measure the sebum levels in vivo without the need for any sebum extraction processes. The flexibility provided by the optical probe attached to the IR spectrometer makes it easy to investigate all parts of the body, including the scalp.
Skin Moisturization
Skin moisture levels can be key to a number of claims, particularly when developing products addressing dryness or eczema. As well as directly measuring water content, skin natural moisturizing factor (NMF) levels can also be investigated, with the absence of NMF being linked with several skin problems.
Skin Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF) Levels
Spectroscopy
An absence of NMF is believed to be linked to skin problems, such as skin dryness and atopic dermatitis (eczema). If you are interested in measuring the levels of NMF to investigate the effects of skin treatments, you might consider using TRI’s unique, tape-stripping and spectroscopy technique.
Skin Anti-Aging
The anti-aging properties of a product are often measured by determining the density of elastin and collagen in the dermis. Alongside this, aging can also cause changes in sebum production. Using both of these metrics in tandem can give richer data and stronger claims support when developing anti-aging products.
Skin, Sebum, and Hair Lipid Composition
Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry
In some instances, it is important to understand the precise chemical composition of hair, sebum, and skin lipids and how this might change in different conditions like aging, environmental stresses (pollution, UV exposure) or application of specific cosmetic treatments. The chromatography and mass spectrometry facilities at TRI can be used for such in-depth, lipidomic studies.
Skin Anti-Aging • Collagen & Elastin Production
Fibroblast Cell Culture
The density of collagen and elastin in the dermis is well known to reduce with chronological aging. Tests on dermal fibroblast cell cultures can investigate the effects of actives on stimulating the production of these important structural proteins.
Skin Lightening
The use of skin imaging can be used to show a product's impact upon a range of properties including skin inflammation, skin whitening, skin scaling (dandruff), hair growth and surface particulate deposition.
Imaging Skin Surface Properties and Particulate Deposition
Macroscopic Imaging and Image Processing
High-quality, low-magnification images of the skin taken during clinical studies can be used to characterize a wide range of properties including skin inflammation, skin whitening, skin scaling (dandruff), hair growth and surface particulate deposition.
Sun Care
Understanding how well a product can protect skin from the sun's harmful UV rays is vital in the development of sunscreen products. Key biomarkers can be monitored to provide in-depth information about product performance, and allow comparison with competitors or to industry standards.
Anti-Dandruff
Both dandruff treatment and prevention of dandruff are key areas for product development. Using a combination of image processing, spectroscopy, spectrometry and biomarker analysis can provide a wealth data for claims substantiation and marketing materials.
Sebum Levels & Composition
Spectroscopy
TRI uses FTIR spectroscopy to measure the sebum levels in vivo without the need for any sebum extraction processes. The flexibility provided by the optical probe attached to the IR spectrometer makes it easy to investigate all parts of the body, including the scalp.
Skin Biomarker Levels
Analysis of Biomarkers in D-SquameTM tape, SebutapesTM or Skin Cell Cultures
A diverse and complex array of biomarkers can be found in the stratum corneum (SC) and on the skin surface dissolved in sebum and sweat. TRI can analyze tape samples for hormones (e.g. DHT), inflammatory cytokines and growth factors using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELIZA) or colorimetric assays. The same ELISA assays can be used in skin cell culture experiments to evaluate the impact of specific actives on important skin markers like the synthesis of collagen, elastin, etc.
Skin, Sebum, and Hair Lipid Composition
Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry
In some instances, it is important to understand the precise chemical composition of hair, sebum, and skin lipids and how this might change in different conditions like aging, environmental stresses (pollution, UV exposure) or application of specific cosmetic treatments. The chromatography and mass spectrometry facilities at TRI can be used for such in-depth, lipidomic studies.
Imaging Skin Surface Properties and Particulate Deposition
Macroscopic Imaging and Image Processing
High-quality, low-magnification images of the skin taken during clinical studies can be used to characterize a wide range of properties including skin inflammation, skin whitening, skin scaling (dandruff), hair growth and surface particulate deposition.
Anti-Pollution Skin Care
Measuring how a product can protect the skin from environmental contaminants, or how well a product can cleanse environmental contaminants from the skin, can be a key metric for understanding product efficacy. Spectrscopy can show the types of contaminats present as well as show changes to the skin's surface structure, whereas mass spectrometry can give information about the identity of contaminants.
Skin, Sebum, and Hair Lipid Composition
Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry
In some instances, it is important to understand the precise chemical composition of hair, sebum, and skin lipids and how this might change in different conditions like aging, environmental stresses (pollution, UV exposure) or application of specific cosmetic treatments. The chromatography and mass spectrometry facilities at TRI can be used for such in-depth, lipidomic studies.
Sensitive Skin & Scalp
Increasingly, consumers are looking for products that are designed for sensitive skin. Monitoring the pH of the skin's surface, key biomarkers for skin stress such as hormones, inflammatory cytokines and growth factors, as well as using image processing, can give a comprehensive overview of how a product can impact upon skin and scalp health.
Skin Biomarker Levels
Analysis of Biomarkers in D-SquameTM tape, SebutapesTM or Skin Cell Cultures
A diverse and complex array of biomarkers can be found in the stratum corneum (SC) and on the skin surface dissolved in sebum and sweat. TRI can analyze tape samples for hormones (e.g. DHT), inflammatory cytokines and growth factors using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELIZA) or colorimetric assays. The same ELISA assays can be used in skin cell culture experiments to evaluate the impact of specific actives on important skin markers like the synthesis of collagen, elastin, etc.
Imaging Skin Surface Properties and Particulate Deposition
Macroscopic Imaging and Image Processing
High-quality, low-magnification images of the skin taken during clinical studies can be used to characterize a wide range of properties including skin inflammation, skin whitening, skin scaling (dandruff), hair growth and surface particulate deposition.