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Skin Safety Testing

An innovative approach to protocol design to match your product specifics and brand goals.

However carefully we formulate products there is always a possibility that someone will have a skin problem after use. Tolerance tests give us valuable information about a product’s potential for causing skin reactions and give reassurance about it’s safety. Different tolerance tests have been developed to detect specific types of skin reaction.

Listed below are some of the most popular studies we run. If it is not clear which studies are needed for your products, selection of the most appropriate methods can be done through discussion with Cutest. The study chosen will depend on the type of product and known history of the formulation. It may also be determined by regulatory requirements of the country where the product is to be sold. You can be assured it will be tailored to meet your individual considerations so you can satisfy your project objectives.

Irritancy and Patch Tests

  • The most common problem reported with topical products is cutaneous irritancy. In order to test for skin irritancy for your product we would recommend performing Patch Testing in a panel of 25 human volunteers. We can test several products at a time in each subject and this allows comparison of existing products which are known not to cause problems with problem products and also with competitor products that are on the market. Assessment of test sites for skin irritation is performed by trained study nurses. The results of the test are detailed in a report signed by our consultant dermatologist.
  • 48 Hour Cumulative Irritancy Patch Test (two consecutive 24 hour applications in 25 human volunteers).
  • 96 hour Cumulative Irritancy Patch Test (four consecutive 24 hour applications in 25 human volunteers)
  • 14 Day Cumulative Irritancy Patch Test/ Human Repeat Insult Patch Test (HRIPT)
  • Soap Chamber Study
    The problem of patch testing soaps and detergent containing products is that they can give positive results because of the inherent chemistry of the product and because of the prolonged contact with the skin. The standard patch test is poor at discriminating between products and this has been recognised for some time. An alternative test is the Soap Chamber test which uses an intermittent application schedule and also assesses other aspects of soap irritancy such as scaling and fissuring.
  • Photo-Irritancy Study

User/Consumer Trials

  • User/Consumer Trials
  • Sensitive Skin User Trials
  • Arm and Facial Wash Testing
  • Hand Immersion Testing
  • Wash and Wear Testing (Clothing Testing)
  • Wear Testing (Nappies)

Specialized Dermatological Testing

  • Facial Stinging Testing
  • Comedogenicity Testing

Skin Sensitisation Testing

  • Sensitisation Patch Tests for Europe or USA
  • Photo-Sensitisation (Photo-Allergy) Testing

Ophthalmological Testing

A registered Opthalmologist will validate the safety of the product.

  • Eye Make-Up Studies
  • Mascara Studies
  • Shampoo Tests (‘No More Tears’)

Dermatological Testing

A registered Dermatologist will validate the safety of the product.