What in-cosmetics told us about where the industry is heading
We’ve just come back from in-cosmetics Global in Paris, and if there was one theme running through almost every conversation we had at our stand, it was this: the days of vague claims are numbered.
“Clinically tested.” “Dermatologist approved.” “Proven to reduce wrinkles.” For a long time, phrases like these have done a lot of heavy lifting on packaging with varying amounts of data to support, depending on brand policies and global territories. That’s changing. Brands are increasingly being asked, by retailers, by regulators, by consumers, to show their working, and a combined strategy using in vitro and clinical testing is coming to the forefront.
It’s something we’ve been advocating for years, so it was genuinely encouraging to hear it reflected back to us so clearly at the show.
The shift isn’t coming from one direction. Consumers are more ingredient-literate than ever. They read INCI lists. They follow dermatologists on social media. They want to know what a product actually does at a cellular level, not just what the marketing says it does. When someone reads “collagen boosting” on a serum, they’re starting to ask: boosting it how? By how much? Measured against what?
That’s a good thing. It raises the bar for everyone and it rewards the brands who invest in proper substantiation.
Regulation is catching up too
On the regulatory side, the direction of travel is equally clear. Across the board, there’s a push towards testing methods that are not only more ethical but more human-relevant. The EU is reviewing the Cosmetics Products Regulation. The UK government has committed to replacing animals in regulatory science, and advertising authorities are demanding more robust evidence behind claims. While animal testing has been banned for cosmetics for many years in the UK and EU, the more positive question now is, how ARE products pro-actively tested to ensure safety and efficacy?
The evolving regulatory landscape means the kind of data that can be used today might not be enough tomorrow. The brands and ingredient suppliers who are building their evidence base now, using human-relevant in vitro methods, are the ones who will be best positioned when the rules tighten.
What this means in practice
At XCellR8, we’ve responded to this shift by expanding our cosmetic claims and efficacy testing portfolio. We now offer a tiered approach that lets companies get the right level of data for their needs and their budget.
For antioxidant claims, that might start with a cell-free screening battery to establish whether an ingredient has intrinsic antioxidant activity and how it works, then progress to cell-based and 3D skin model testing for data that reflects real-world application.
For collagen-boosting claims, we can measure the effect at the gene expression level using qPCR, or quantify actual collagen protein production using the Sirius Red method. Used together, those two tests tell the full story from activation through to output.
The point isn’t that every brand needs every test. It’s that there are now accessible, affordable options for companies of all sizes to build credible, science-backed claims. You don’t need to be a major industry player to have good data.
The bigger picture
What struck us most at in-cosmetics was the energy around this. There’s a real appetite across the industry for better science, more transparency, and testing that’s genuinely relevant to human biology. That’s exactly what we set up XCellR8 to do 18 years ago.
It feels like our unique, human-relevant approach – achieved by eradicating all animal-derived components from the tests – is gaining unprecedented momentum and recognition, from both scientific and ethical perspectives, particularly among cruelty-free and vegan brands and suppliers who need to ensure that their testing strategy aligns with their company philosophy. And honestly, that’s pretty exciting.
If you’d like to talk about why XCellR8 stands out from the crowd, and how we can help you to do the same by supporting your claims testing, whether you’re an ingredient supplier or a finished product brand, we’d love to hear from you.
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Contact us if you’d like to learn how you can support our mission, become a corporate sponsor or donate to our crowdfunder.
Email info@x-cellr8.com
Call +44 (0)1925 607 134.
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