Sensory methods for cosmetics evaluation

In a highly competitive market, the cosmetic industry has implemented a product design process that integrates the users’ expectations with the measurements of the sensory features of cosmetic products. Conventional food sensory methods have been adapted to assess the impact of cosmetic formula texture, focusing mainly on visual and somesthesia levels (especially touch). This chapter explains the challenges of cosmetic sensory evaluation related to the use of products applied on different areas of the body (hair, lips, skin, etc.). Through recommendation and examples, these adaptations regarding preparation, application of the assessed samples, and the environment are discussed. As descriptive sensory methods and hedonic methods have been the most used, their uses in cosmetics are largely detailed in this chapter. Finally, two study cases are explained: one about skin care and the other one about the decorative field to better understand all the steps of the cosmetic evaluation process.