For decades, the cosmetics and personal care industry have thrived on aspiration. Promises of visible results, clinically inspired formulations, innovative packaging, advertisements, and influencer campaigns. Yet behind the glossy claims lies a growing and uncomfortable truth. Much of the industry has relied far more on marketing narratives than on clinically backed data.
As consumers become more educated, regulators more attentive, and science more accessible, this imbalance is no longer sustainable. The industry now faces its central challenge: a credibility gap that threatens consumer trust, product differentiation, and long-term innovation.
An Industry Built on Claims, Not Proof
Unlike the pharmaceutical sector, where clinical trials are non-negotiable and heavily regulated, cosmetics operate in a comparatively permissive environment. While products must be safe for use, efficacy claims often rest on limited in vitro testing, small consumer perception studies, or ingredient-level data extrapolated from unrelated contexts.
This approach has begun to unravel in credibility, opening the doors to companies willing to fulfill clinical testing requirements and backing products with statistically relevant data and stringent research protocols.
Regulatory Fragmentation Across the Globe
Globally, cosmetic regulations remain fragmented and uneven. The European Union enforces strict safety assessments and bans certain substances, while the United States maintains a more lenient pre-market approval system. Asia has been known to closely follow the EU rules, however has been much quicker with their adoption of innovative formulations. In many regions, efficacy testing is not explicitly mandated, leaving brands significant freedom in how claims are substantiated.
What is missing is a harmonized framework comparable to pharmaceutical protocols, one that defines study design standards, endpoints, population sizes, and statistical validation for efficacy claims.
Why Cosmetics Deserve Clinical Testing
Cosmetics are no longer just about aesthetics. Many products now claim to influence biological pathways, including the skin barrier, the microbiome, inflammation, pigmentation, or aging mechanisms. Dermocosmetics, in particular, are often recommended by healthcare professionals and used by individuals with compromised or sensitive skin.
When products interact with living systems, it is unsurprising that the expectations for stronger evidence rises. Clinical-grade testing offers more than regulatory reassurance. It provides:
- Objective proof of efficacy beyond consumer perception
- Reproducible data that can be compared across formulations and populations
- Stronger claim substantiation, reducing legal and reputational risk
- Greater trust from clinicians, regulators, and increasingly informed consumers
In other words, clinical validation is not an obstacle to innovation. It is essential.
Learning from Pharma Without Becoming Pharma
The goal is not to turn cosmetics into pharmaceuticals, but to borrow the principles that make pharmaceutical science credible. These include structured protocols, clearly defined endpoints, appropriate controls, and transparent reporting.
Introducing Sequential, Your Clinical Testing Partner
Sequential is a leading clinical testing partner dedicated to bringing real-world science to the personal care and dermocosmetics industries. With proprietary clinical, non-invasive methods (that allow for both in lab and remote testing) and state-of-the-art multi-omic capabilities, we help brands validate product claims, reduce R&D risk, and accelerate innovation.
Our award-winning scientists study the intricate relationship between the microbiome and genetics, examining how the microbiome shapes human health and how humans, in turn, influence their microbiome.
From study design and participant recruitment to laboratory analysis and data interpretation, Sequential delivers an end-to-end, in-house solution for understanding how products interact in real use cases. Our clinically relevant insights translate complex microbial and molecular data into clear, actionable outcomes empowering companies to develop products that are credible, effective, and trusted by consumers.
The Industry’s Most User-Friendly Collection System
The Sequential collection patch enables scalable, clinically relevant skin testing without the constraints of traditional in-clinic visits. Designed for both remote and laboratory-based studies, the patch allows for standardized, non-invasive collection of skin biomarkers in real-world conditions. This approach supports high-quality data generation while improving participant compliance and study efficiency, making it possible to bridge controlled clinical protocols with everyday product use.
In parallel, our recruitment capabilities allow studies to be conducted across diverse populations, enabling evaluation of formulation performance across ethnicities and geographical locations. By accessing participants from multiple regions and skin types, brands can move beyond narrow cohort studies and generate data that better reflects real consumer diversity. This inclusive approach strengthens claim substantiation, supports global product positioning, and aligns clinical testing with the realities of a worldwide market.
With laboratories and partners worldwide, Sequential supports leading innovators in shaping the next generation of skin, scalp, oral and intimate care backed by scientific integrity and transparency.
CONTACT
Pétronille Houdart – Skincare Director
petronille@sequential.bio
www.sequential.bio
