Use case
Skincare and cosmetic clinical trials
Create clinically proven product claims to support your skincare, cosmetic, or personal care brand, and show that your products work and are safe to use.
Saie Beauty Clinical Study results:
Based on a clinical research study conducted on 33 women ages 18 to 45 over 4 weeks:
• 91% agreed Hydrabeam brightened and illuminated the eye area over time.
• 91% agreed the skin around the eye area felt hydrated and moisturized over time.
• 84% agreed Hydrabeam blurred the imperfections around the eye area over time.
Clinical trials for skincare and cosmetic brands
What are skincare and cosmetic clinical trials?
Cosmetic and skincare clinical trials are a great way for brands to validate their products’ performance while creating science-backed claims that drive business growth. Clinical studies showcase that your products actually work and can help with website and ad conversions, wholesale listings, and forging trust toward your customer base.
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Why should you conduct research?
Differentiate your brand with a clinical trial
Most skincare, cosmetic and personal care products promise a lot. From fewer wrinkles to improved hyperpigmentation and younger-looking skin. Positive reviews are great, however, most consumers also want to see that the claims you make are research-backed. Brands that go the extra mile to create clinically proven claims for their products stand out with consumers by giving insight into a product’s real-world performance. Citruslabs supports the clinical testing of your skincare, cosmetic and personal care products and helps you to substantiate your product claims and embed scientific validation into your brand.
Embed scientific validation into your brand
Why Citruslabs for your skincare clinical trials?
Citruslabs is the fastest-growing provider to create clinically proven product claims. We make the process of clinical studies transparent and affordable, without compromising on quality. We design your study with your goals in mind, which, apart from certain claims, can also mean increased website conversions, or wholesale listings.
Site-based studies including instruments
This is what most beauty, skincare, and personal care brands have in mind when they approach us: a clinical study involving instruments, dermatologists, and professional before-and-after pictures. This setting is very expensive. Luckily, you have options!
Virtual studies
More and more brands are opting for virtual (or decentralized) clinical trials, which are more cost-efficient. The design of the study and questionnaires will make it scientifically robust. Brands can still opt for before-and-after pictures and can also select expert skin grading.
Consumer-perception studies
Consumer perception studies are the easiest and most resourceful way to create claims for your products. Consumer perception studies are not clinical trials though, as they are usually not very scientific.
Before and After photos
At Citruslabs, our specialized service includes the provision of before-and-after photos to vividly demonstrate the efficacy of your wellness product. Embraced by numerous brands, this visual documentation effectively captures and showcases the remarkable changes in participants' hair, skin, and body, enhancing the overall impact of your product. Learn more about the option of before and after pictures.
Case study
Common Heir partnered with Citruslabs to stand out from the crowd
The Challenge
Common Heir is a skincare brand launched in April 2021 with a vitamin c serum. As a luxury brand, Common Heir’s goal is to make clinical research part of its brand identity. Given that new skincare lines are popping up left and right, it was important for them to show from the start that their products and claims are actually backed by research, especially as they are not only a luxury brand, but also a clean beauty brand.
The Solution
In just 5 months, Citruslabs designed, conducted, and completed a clinical trial for Common Heir, with claims (and before and after photos) ready for their launch day.
From day one, Common Heir created trust in their new customer base, by proving research-backed information on the efficacy and safety of its products through a clinical trial. As the first study with Citruslabs was a victory, Common Heir successfully completed another clinical study with Citruslabs with a very diverse set of study participants on their retinol serum that included expert skin grading as well as before and afters.
Products used
Study design
IRB process
Patient recruitment
Patient adherence
Data collection
Data analysis
Publishing
FAQ about cosmetic trials
What is the difference between consumer perception studies and clinical trials?
A consumer perception study is significantly less scientific than a clinical study. A perception study has the goal of "just" creating claims. It's still a robust study, but just for the sake of making claims that are based on data.
Perception studies typically include 30-40 participants that are generally healthy. They don't screen for specific inclusion and exclusion criteria (except for age and some high-level concerns that participants have - e.g. fine lines, wrinkles, age spots, thinning hair, etc.). Perception studies typically don't have a comprehensive baseline questionnaire (many don't have a baseline questionnaire), because the goal is to make claims. However, perception studies typically have a "before & after photos". The study check-ins (typically just 1 or 2) have 5-10 questions that are targeting claims. For example: "do you agree that the product reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles?", measured on a Likert scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).
When opting for a clinical study, typically the goal is to create more robust, truly scientific/research-backed claims. Companies opt for a clinical study because they want statistical analysis, they want to publish their report somewhere, or they want to be taken more seriously by the medical community. Typically supplement brands and more sophisticated skincare brands opt for clinical studies, because then they can include biomarkers (or skin markers). In a clinical trial, brands can also include more sophisticated questionnaires, or even (University-) validated questionnaires, they can clearly define the inclusion and exclusion criteria of study participants, and also include more details, for example, "participants shouldn't take this and that medication/supplement", "participants should have this and that health condition", "participants should have this and that lifestyle". Additionally, clients can include study-specific questionnaires (similar to perception studies), to help make their claims, but they can also add validated questionnaires to the mix. Questionnaires for clinical studies are typically around 40 questions. Also, clients can then include biomarkers/skin markers/digital markers, and of course, before and afters, which can also be clinically graded. Typically, clinical studies get IRB approved (perception studies don't). And clinical studies can also come in the forms of randomized-controlled studies, while perception studies are usually single arm.
What does dermatologist-approved mean?
Dermatologist approval simply means that a dermatologist has signed off on the safety and efficacy of a product. It actually doesn’t mean that a clinical study is involved, it really just means that a dermatologist gave their blessing for a product.
How can I test my skincare products?
Putting your product(s) to the test is easy with Citruslabs. Regardless if you’re looking to conduct a randomized-controlled study, a single-arm study, a consumer perception study or consumer research, we got your back. We simplify the process for you and make sure to get you the data you need to create claims for your website and product packaging. With Citruslabs, you can expect that we take care of the whole study for you, from start to finish. Get in touch! Beginning a clinical trial for your products is simpler than you think and is one of the best investments you can make for your brand.
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