Cosmetotest 2026: A Record-Breaking Edition — Download the Full Post-Show Report
One year out from Cosmetotest 2027, we look back at what made the fifth edition of the symposium one of its most significant yet, and share the full post-show report, now available for free download.
277 participants, 20+ nationalities, 34 exhibitors: the numbers speak for themselves
Held in Lyon on 18–19 March 2026, the fifth edition of Cosmetotest brought together 277 participants from more than 20 countries, a clear signal that the international cosmetic testing community continues to grow around this event. Alongside them, 34 exhibiting companies showcased their latest solutions, services and technologies across preclinical and clinical evaluation.
More than 40 conference sessions took place over the two days, covering a range of topics at the intersection of skin science and product evaluation methodology. For an event rooted in highly specialised science, the breadth of participation — both geographic and professional, confirms Cosmetotest’s position as the reference gathering point for anyone working in cosmetic efficacy and safety testing.
Four scientific sessions at the cutting edge of cosmetic science
The 2026 programme was structured around four thematic sessions, each reflecting areas where cosmetic testing methodology is actively evolving.
Hormones took centre stage in the opening session, with researchers examining how endocrine context — menopause, androgenic conditions, hormonal variability across populations — affects skin physiology and, consequently, how studies should be designed to account for it. The exposome session explored the tools and models now available to evaluate skin’s response to cumulative environmental stressors: pollution, UV, blue light, and beyond.
Hydration, one of the most-tested parameters in cosmetic science, was revisited through the lens of multi-parameter evaluation — combining corneometry, TEWL, and spectroscopic approaches to build a more complete and credible picture of moisturisation efficacy. And in the final session, the skin-brain axis emerged as one of the most forward-looking topics of the symposium: the bidirectional relationship between cutaneous biology and the nervous system, and what it means for neurocosmetic claim substantiation.
What attendees said
The feedback from participants captured what makes Cosmetotest different from a standard industry conference.
“Fascinating presentations and subjects. The must-attend event for anyone working in product performance.”
“Cosmetotest is a fantastic opportunity to discover innovations — a true panorama of the best evaluation methods.”
These reactions are consistent with what the event has built over five editions: a programme dense enough to satisfy researchers, accessible enough to engage product developers, and focused enough to generate genuinely useful takeaways for day-to-day work in the lab or in R&D.
Download the free post-show report
The 2026 post-show report is now available as a free download. It brings together everything from the edition in a single document: the complete scientific programme, the full speaker list with profiles, participant demographics and geographic breakdown, the exhibitor directory, and the key figures from the event.
Whether you attended and want a reference document, or missed the edition and want to understand what was covered, the report is the most complete picture of Cosmetotest 2026 available.
👉 Download the post-show report
Missed a session? The full replay is available on demand
The complete recording of both days — keynote presentations and short communications — is now available on demand. Watch at your own pace, revisit a session you attended, or catch up on the talks that ran in parallel to the ones you chose.
Already looking ahead to 2027
Today, 2 June 2026, marks exactly one year until Cosmetotest 2027 opens its doors. The sixth edition will take place in Lyon on 2–3 June 2027, with an online participation option. Registration, the call for abstracts, and the programme announcement will all be communicated first via the Cosmetotest newsletter.
