
The expert insights provided here give a sampling of the dynamics shaping both cosmetic product testing and production. They are indicative of the challenges and opportunities emerging for those behind the scenes of beauty manufacturing. Read on for more.
Log in to view the full article
The expert insights provided here give a sampling of the dynamics shaping both cosmetic product testing and production. They are indicative of the challenges and opportunities emerging for those behind the scenes of beauty manufacturing. Read on for more.
Scientific testing to elevate and prove product efficacy was among Mintel’s top seven beauty trends for 2025. “…Consumers are ‘prioritizing functional efficacy and ingredient knowledge’ amid a wider movement toward proven claims and demands that products offer multiple benefits,” Global Cosmetic Industry stated, citing a Mintel report.1
The same report added that “armed with more knowledge, consumers will demand proven efficacy and precision from beauty products.” This will require next-generation biotech ingredients, encapsulation technologies for enhanced delivery, and materials that offer aesthetic-grade benefits.
“… To build credibility, companies will highlight the efficacy of their products through scientific testing and innovative ingredients,” the source also noted.1 And in today’s market, this of course means animal-free testing – an area surging in innovation, projected for a 12% CAGR from 2024 to 2029.2
What’s more, Mintel underscored a heightened focus on ingredient safety, “with consumers paying more attention to environmental factors like water and air quality.” These safety considerations extend beyond the products themselves to their manufacturing processes.
“…[C]onsumers are being educated by influencers who demystify the inner workings of the beauty industry, including ingredients and manufacturing, turning shoppers into pro-sumers,” Mintel explained. Marketing is also driving manufacturing messages home, touting the use of renewable energy, lower carbon emissions, reduced waste and more.
Such claims demonstrate recent trends (and challenges) affecting production; including improving efficiencies and taking steps toward sustainability (i.e., using wind- and solar-powered energy, recycling wastewater, adopting transparency measures, employing greener chemistry, applying AI, etc).
Other trends include shorter product lifecycles, global supply chain issues, smaller production runs, novel ingredients and regulatory compliance – especially good manufacturing practices (GMPs), now under the scrutinizing lens of the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 (MoCRA). There’s also the ever-present concern for contamination.
Considering these less conspicuous dynamics in beauty product development, we reached out to industry experts for their takes on behind-the-scenes trends in product testing and manufacturing. Following are their insights.
Tissue Cultures, Barrier Effects and Improved Test Resolution
Beate Becker, marketing manager of Courage + Khazaka Electronic, points to the industry focus on product testing using animal alternatives. “More and more countries around the world have banned animal testing for regular cosmetic products, whereas safety regulations, efficacy tests and claims support have gained importance,” Becker explains. “This makes in vitro testing methods indispensable for the R&D departments of cosmetic companies.”
She adds that studying the effects of products on the barriers of tissue cultures gives information about their performance and safety. “For this process, 12- or 24-well plates with cultured tissues are used. [To ensure] reliable results, the cultured tissue needs to be checked for maturity and integrity before applying the products.”
To assess the tissue’s maturity and integrity, per Becker, Courage + Khazaka Electronic’s new Cellspectrometer CSM 2100 can determine transepithelial/transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER, at 12.5 Hz and 1000 Hz) simultaneously in 24 tissue wells in just 15 seconds; a full spectrum measurement will take 100 seconds.
According to Becker, however, the TEER reveals more than tissue culture maturity. “Even minor gaps in the cell culture structure result in a significant drop in impedance, providing information on:
- “cell culture maturation completion,
- the integrity of tissue barriers before and after treatments with cosmetics,
- micro-damages in cell layers due to toxic effects of substances and
- non-invasive, continuous monitoring of cell membrane reactions.”
The Cellspectrometer CSM 2100 is also equipped with patented titanium nitride (TiN) coated electrodes, which as Becker highlights, offers “significant improvement in signal quality compared to conventional stainless steel or gold-coated electrodes.” Furthermore, it is compatible with many standard well plates and is operated by a user-friendly software.
“Other in-vitro methods like TEWL measurement with the Tewitro TW 24 also give valuable information on the barrier-friendly effect of products,” she adds. “For sure, the market will see further developments in the future.”
MoCRA, GMPs and Process Optimization
Simon Schlecht, sales director for North America at Ekato Systems, highlights the impact of MoCRA on production. “… MoCRA is the most significant expansion of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) authority to regulate cosmetics. It creates a regulatory framework for manufacturers that imposes a GMP system for ensuring that cosmetic products are consistently produced and controlled according to certain quality standards.” He adds that these requirements, developed by the FDA, have been published for review and are expected to be finalized soon.
“Beyond the regulatory aspect, companies that upgrade their process according to the MoCRA regulations sooner than later will gain a competitive edge,” Schlecht continues. “Their customers and products will benefit from more consistency, reliability, traceability and hygienic design. Their operators and employees can rely on safety features and a more ergonomic and automated process.”
In relation, Schlecht points to Ekato’s 90-year legacy as “a pioneer in designing and optimizing processing equipment for the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry.” For example, per Schlecht, the Ekato Unimix vacuum processing unit was specifically designed to ensure a reliable, reproducible and GMP-compliant process while significantly reducing batch times.
“It provides all the functions manufacturers need to produce a wide range of products — from emulsions to gels, and from low- to high-viscosity formulations,” he explains. “While conventional production technologies can create these products, they often fail to meet the required quality standards within the necessary time frame, consistency and GMP requirements.”
Conclusions
These insights are merely a sampling of the dynamics shaping both testing and production. Still, they are indicative of the challenges and opportunities emerging for those behind the scenes of beauty manufacturing.
References
1.Global Cosmetic Industry. (2024, Oct 1). 2025’s Top 7 beauty trends. Available at https://www.gcimagazine.com/consumers-markets/news/22921977/2025s-top-7-beauty-trends
2.The Business Research Company. (2025, Jan). Non-animal alternatives testing global market report 2025 – By technology (cell culture technology, high throughput technology, molecular imaging, omics technology, other technologies), by method (cellular assay, biochemical assay, in silico, ex-vivo), by end-user (pharmaceutical industry, cosmetics and household products, diagnostics, chemicals industry, food and beverage industry, other end users) – Market size, trends and global forecast 2025-2034. Available at https://tinyurl.com/yjxvtpbk.