Starting with Hippocrates and Aristotle, the concept of the connection between mind and skin has come down to the present day supported by scientific evidence, taking the name of psychodermatology. The beauty industry has been inspired by this innovative approach, thanks to consumers who want to have an experience when applying a cosmetic product, focusing on mental health and holistic well-being. As a results, many new trends have emerged as:

• Psychodermatology explores the relationship between psychological well-being and skin health
• Neurocosmetics focuses on the mind-skin connection

The question then arises: How do we tangibly develop and demonstrate this intricate bond between mind and skin through the application of cosmetic products?

Implicit measurements offer an indirect approach to capturing emotions tied to product sensory properties without conscious awareness, enabling the study of consumers’ spontaneous behaviour. While implicit emotional responses to basic tastes are recognized, understanding these responses to diverse tactile perception of beauty products, along with individual differences, remains underexplored.

Together with the SensoryLab – University of Florence, we have set up a study and tested a procedure based on the Affect Misattribution Procedure (AMP), using emotions towards neutral stimuli as proxies for implicit emotional activation. Participants promptly indicated emotions associated with the pictograph by selecting from four emotion word differing in valence/arousal levels. After the test, participants completed the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) linked to psychological well-being.