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Whether for FDA, FTC or POS, to wow the customer, testing providers help companies dig up the data they need to thrive in the competitive personal care space.
October 2, 2014
By: Christine Esposito
Editor-in-Chief
Personal care is a numbers game—and not just sales figures. Consumers and regulators alike demand proof of performance in today’s competitive personal care market. Whether it is for a label, advertising and marketing materials, proof of performance or regulatory compliance, companies need data to back up any claim. “Efficacy testing, whether by way of clinical studies or in-home consumer testing, is a fundamental way of unearthing credible proof,” said Jennifer Norman, vice president of marketing at Derma E, which recently released results of a clinical test that compared the effectiveness of its Firming DMAE Moisturizer to a pricier derm line product. Derma E opted for an independent, double-blind clinical test with 55 women aged 37 to 65. In a split-face test, one formula was applied on the entire left side and the other formula on the entire right side of the face allowing participants to use both formulas. Results were measured by Corneometer and Cutometer devices at zero, four weeks and eight weeks. According to Derma E, both moisturizers contained the same key ingredients (DMAE, alpha lipoic and C-ester), but Derma E’s lower priced product was proven to be as effective at visibly improving skin firmness, elasticity, hydration and barrier function after eight weeks of use. The Simi Valley, CA skin care company also values consumer input, as seen from a consumer home-use trial conducted last year on its Hydrating Eye Crème with hyaluronic acid. Over a 12-week period, female participants ranging from ages 35 to 77 were asked to use the product in the morning and at night. At the beginning and end of the trial, each participant had their eye area analyzed using a VisioFace photographic device to measure changes to wrinkle area, depth and volume. They were also asked to record self-perceived visual improvement of several eye area conditions including deep wrinkles, dehydration and puffiness. Results, according to Derma E, provide “strong evidence” that twice-a-day application of the eye creme can lead to significant reductions in wrinkle volume, area and depth. Specifically, wrinkle reduction measured with VisioFace after 12 weeks of use showed 30% decrease in total wrinkle volume, a 26% decrease in total wrinkle area and 15% decrease in total wrinkle depth. Participants reported noticeable improvements, too; 97% reported visible improvement in wrinkles; 86% reported visible improvement in sagging; 83% reported visible improvement in puffiness and 76% reported improvements to dryness, dehydration and dullness. “In the case of the Hydrating Eye Crème, we chose to conduct a 12-week at-home consumer use trial, because we felt it was important to have the formula tested among real women in their own home environments using the product as they would normally use an eye cream,” said Norman. “We were able to have advanced VisioFace photo-images taken before the trial and after for comparison purposes, we were able to obtain quantitative data on benefit delivery, and we were also able to obtain qualitative feedback for testimonial usage.” It’s a recipe that seems to be growing in importance in the beauty market. According to a survey of more than 2,100 consumers conducted by The Benchmarking Company, seven out of 10 women stated that consumer and clinical claims are influential in their decision to buy any beauty product. And in certain areas such as anti-aging skin care, the words of “real women” seem to have great impact. In fact, 93% of women expect proof in the form of consumer claims when looking at anti-aging skin care products (see Happi.com for infographic with more). “Women tend to believe other women with similar skin care issues, ethnicity and age,” Jennifer Stansbury, co-founder and managing partner at The Benchmarking Company, told Happi. “Consumers are more savvy, turning bottles over and looking at claims.” “There’s a huge shift toward educated, informed consumers,” noted Casey Coy, manager of the cosmetics and personal care program at NSF International, an independent public health organization that can help cosmetic and personal care companies review and substantiate their label claims—including “free-from” promises that are growing in popularity across many categories from hair care to skin care to cosmetics. Calling In the Experts Having proof is a downright necessity in today’s marketplace—especially with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) eyeing claims made by cosmetic and skin care brands—and that’s where third party providers can be vital partners. “It is extremely important to partner with great testing service companies to ensure claims substantiation is bullet-proof from legal and regulatory perspectives,” said Norman of Derma E, which outsources all of its clinical testing to independent third party labs. Leading testing firms that Happi spoke with expand their operations and expertise to better serve companies that range from growing businesses like Derma E to start-ups to global powerhouses. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, InVitro International, for example, is now operating out of a new facility in Placentia, CA. “We designed the labs so that the work flow is more efficient; and that means faster. “We are already proud of how quickly we turn our quality first results around, and when we do things such as this, we also keep costs down for our customers,” said W. Richard Ulmer, president and CEO of InVitro, which as a leader in non-animal testing, recently published a 19-page, peer reviewed paper (Validation study on the Ocular Irritection assay for eye irritation testing) in the European journal Toxicology In Vitro. AMA Laboratories has been expanding its footprint as well, and by the first quarter of 2015 will have twice the lab space. In addition, the company continues to invest in new capabilities, the latest of which includes 3D imaging and printing as well as 3D modeling. Introduced at In-Cosmetics earlier this year, the 3D modeling provides AMA customers with an opportunity to handle and feel the results. According to executives Happi spoke with, AMA has developed a special formulation in which the 3D model material has a much more skin-like texture and tone. Idea Tests Group, which specializes in the evaluation of cosmetic products, ingredients and final formulations, has invested in new equipment and capabilities too. The Idea Clinic unit, which offers tolerance and efficacy clinical tests, has a new photo lab to guarantee reproducibility and quality images. Further, the firm has a new state-of-the-art evaluation room where highly customizable humidity and temperature control features allow for the performance of clinical tests in extreme weather conditions. In one recent project, Idea was able to reproduce weather conditions close to Asian countries to test the efficacy and persistence of cosmetic products designed specifically for that region, noted Benoit Latouche, president of the Idea Tests Group. Software developments continue to make the testing process smoother. For example, new Scantron questionnaire data collection systems have made larger studies easier to manage in terms of accuracy, according to Marc J. Shaffer, senior vice president at Clinical Research Laboratories, Inc. Companies in the beauty category continue to expect more from their testing partners. “The single most important things these days is turnaround time,” said Shaffer, noting another trend in customer thinking. “In the past, tests were very clear cut with a single defined endpoint. Today, testing parameters tend to be more wide-open and sponsors want to look at multiple parameters within a single study design.” While the common thread is speed, customers have varied needs, often based on the size of their company, say experts. Larger firms with deep internal resources, including in-house testing capabilities, may look to third party companies as a verification lab, while mid-size firms with their own scientists use testing laboratories as an extension of their in-house R&D team. Companies with small or non-existent R&D rosters—entrepreneurs with new ideas but little expertise—often require more handholding. “Our philosophy is that we don’t have a one-size fits all concept,” noted Shaffer. “We don’t say this is how we do moisturizer, or how we do wrinkle reduction. We look at each client’s needs; they can be very different. You may need to tweak the study design, time points, methodology, or population types to make a study design work for a particular client.” Backing Up the Story In today’s results-driven beauty category where consumers demand proof of performance, a compelling story is what drives a consumer to make a purchase. But that story can’t be built on fluff. Companies need to “romance the science” according to StriVectin CEO JuE Wong, who was a keynote speaker at Happi’s 2014 Anti-Aging Conference and Tabletop Exhibition last month in New Brunswick. “The story must be based on science; design a clinical study to support this story,” added fellow keynoter Dr. Zoe Draelos, a consulting professor in the Department of Dermatology at Duke University School of Medicine. “The happy ending is your data.” Looking for a testing company to help you on your next project? A list of them begins below.
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