Résumé : |
Testing personal care products using clinical trials is the gold standard for proving efficacy, but is often seen as too expensive to be considered cost-effective. However, formal proof that a product works is highly motivating to consumers, as demonstrated by the runaways success of Boots Protect & Perfect anti-ageing serum in 2009. The combination of effective testing and marketing gave Protect & Perfect a distinct advantage over the competition, ushering in a new age in the marketing of personal care products, with cosmetic and personal care companies receiving increased pressure to provide solid evidence to support claims of product effectiveness. However, as proving efficacy remains discretionary for cosmetic and personal care products, for many manufacturers the primary motivating factor for testing non-regulated skincare products remains financial. Therefore, although companies can no longer rely entirely on marketing claims, there is still some reluctance to invest in R&D activities to help develop the stronger claims that attract the attention of consumers, even though there are now many laboratory and clinical methods available. Also, while reliable quantitative in vitro and in vivo methods have been developed to support many common claims (i.e. increased hydration, reduction in spots, reduced appearance of wrinkles, etc.), there is often a discrepancy between what is meant by the product claim for the consumer compared to the cosmetic scientist. |