Cosmetics
Cosmetic and personal care products depend on consistent chemistry to deliver appearance, sensory feel, stability, and safety. These products are widely used across skin care, hair care, color cosmetics, fragrances, sun care, and personal hygiene, where performance is strongly influenced by raw material variability, formulation balance, processing, and packaging interactions. Small changes can create noticeable issues such as odor drift, discoloration, separation, viscosity changes, residue, or irritation risk (project-dependent).
We provide analytical testing and materials characterization for cosmetic ingredients, finished formulations, and investigation samples, supporting R&D, supplier qualification, incoming QC, batch release support, and root-cause investigations. Our multi-technique approach delivers clear, decision-ready results—especially for “what changed?” comparisons and unknown identification.
Why Testing Matters in Cosmetics
Cosmetic product quality is sensitive to chemistry, processing, and storage. Testing often focuses on:
Batch consistency and ingredient verification (supplier/lot changes, formulation drift)
Stability and phase behavior (separation, viscosity drift, crystallization, haze)
Odor and volatile profile changes (oxidation, contamination, packaging interactions)
Discoloration and appearance changes (degradation, trace metals, impurities)
Trace metals/ions that can catalyze oxidation or impact stability (project-dependent)
Foreign particles and residues (root-cause and prevention actions)
Residues on skin/hair or surfaces (film, streaking, tackiness—project-dependent)
Our lab combines volatile analysis, molecular identification, and elemental/particle tools to provide practical conclusions and next steps.
FAQs
Can you identify what causes off-odor in cosmetics?
Often yes (matrix-dependent). HS-GC/MS comparison to a reference lot is a common and effective starting point.
Do you need a reference/control sample?
Strongly recommended. Side-by-side comparisons provide faster and more defensible conclusions.
Can you identify specks or haze/sediment?
Yes. SEM-EDS + Raman/FTIR (and XRD when needed) are commonly used to identify particle composition and likely sources.
Can you test for trace metals that affect stability?
Yes (project-dependent). ICP-based screening can identify metals that catalyze oxidation or discoloration.
Can you evaluate packaging-related issues?
Yes (project-dependent). We can assess volatile profiles and residues to support odor transfer or contact-related investigations.