We couldn’t be more excited to bring you the results of our first clinical trials!Our team has been working diligently behind the scenes for the last few months, testing our collection of products on a wide range of various participants, and eagerly waiting to see the outcome. Our products are chock-full of potent actives, luxurious hydrators and revolutionary ingredients — never before used in skincare. We knew we were onto something special with the formulation of our patent-pending #GuardianComplex, and now we have clinical results to confirm the effectiveness of these amazing, innovative products. And now we can finally share these results with you!
First off, you may be wondering — what’s the difference between a clinical and a
consumer trial? In its simplest terms, clinical trials are those carried out under clinical conditions in a laboratory, and they are objective. Various measuring tools will be used to objectively measure the effect on the skin before and after using a specific product. A consumer trial, which boasts the results you see most often quoted in brand advertisements, are trials in which a panel of people give their subjective view about whether or not a product worked and made a difference to their skin. So the main difference between these two tests is that one is objective and one is subjective. Another difference between the two tests is the cost of each. Clinical trials are far more expensive, and to measure even the smallest sample size requires upwards of $50,000 depending on who carries out the trial (an independent body, ingredient manufacturer, etc). That’s why you will often see fewer participants in clinical trials, sometimes even as low as only 12 participants. For this reason, the majority of brands using trials in their marketing are sharing consumer trial results. A few other terms that crop up frequently in the discussion
of consumer and clinical trials are:
in vivo
“In vivo” translates from latin as “within the living,” and means that a test is
done on a living organism. In vivo testing is considered to be a more reliable
form of testing as it is done on real people. Animal testing in cosmetics has
decreased worldwide in recent years and has been banned in many
countries, so now you will most likely see in vivo testing of cosmetic
products directly on human volunteers. These are clinical tests for things like
irritation, product effectiveness, and claims testing. The studies are carried
out in a laboratory by qualified technicians under the supervision of
dermatologists and ophthalmologists.
in vitro
“In vitro” translates from Latin as “in glass,” and means a test that is done
outside of a living organism. In the cosmetics testing industry, in vitro testing
usually involves cell lines and reconstructed models of the human epidermis
(skin) and cornea (front of the eye). In vitro testing has long existed as an
alternative to animal testing, and recent technological advances have made
sophisticated yet cost-effective in vitro models available to the cosmetics
industry. The existing in vitro models can be used for regulatory safety and
toxicity testing of cosmetics and ingredients, as well as to test efficacy,
support product claims, and confirm the listed ingredients.
Clinical Trials – While in a clinical trial, participants following a protocol are seen regularly by research staff to monitor their results and to determine the effectiveness of the products. Clinical trials or studies, like mentioned above, are carried out in a clinical environment on human participants. These trials are classed as in vivo. The parameters of clinical trials vary from trial to trial as each brand will be testing different products for different results. During these trials, participants will be monitored before, during and after continued use of a specific product. Results are gauged by scheduling different tests, procedures, applications and dosages, as well as the length of clinical observation.
Consumer Trials – Unlike a clinical study, which takes scientific measurements of the skin, a consumer perception survey is where people who have been using the product for an equal amount of time are asked whether they agree or disagree with a series of statements on the product. These trials are also classed as in vivo. More often than not, these results are what you see in the small print on brand advertisements. They say something like ‘In a study of 80 women, 67% found that X product increased hydration in the skin.’ These trials are based on the participants feeding back their thoughts, where they give a thorough analysis of the results they experienced using a certain product. A number of different tests can be carried out by skincare brands on their products before they start selling them, that will help consumers know whether that product will be suitable for their skin type.
The most common tests include:
• Skin irritation testing
• Eye irritation testing
• Comedogenicity/acnegencity testing
Below are some parameters we set for our trials, to give you context & help you to better understand our study:
• These first two sets of results are for our Night Life “Live” Probiotic + HA Serum & our Self Defense Super-Charged Moisturizer
• A clinical study & a consumer perception study were conducted for each product
• 30+ healthy human participants were studied in each trial
Trials were conducted for a duration of 4 weeks
Let’s start with the results for our Night Life “Live” Probiotic + HA Serum:
Clinical and Consumer Test Results:*
In a clinical study on 32 subjects, the following results were reported: Skin Moisturization significantly improved immediately after application, 24 hours after first use, and after 4 weeks of use.
• Skin Barrier Function improved significantly after 4 weeks of use.
• Appearance of Fine Lines and Wrinkles was highly significantly improved after 4 weeks of use, with 100% of participants showing improvement.
• In a Consumer Perception Study on 32 subjects, the following results were reported after 1 application:
• 91% agree their skin feels more moisturized after 1 application
• 88% agree their skin looks more moisturized after 1 application
In a Consumer Perception Study on 32 subjects, the following results were reported after 4 weeks of use:
• 100% agree the product was easy to use
• 97% agree their skin looks more moisturized
• 97% agree their skin feels more moisturized
• 97% agree their skin feels more nourished
• 97% agree the product absorbs quickly
• 94% agree their skin looks firmer
• 94% agree their skin texture feels smoother
• 94% agree the product has a pleasing scent
• 94% agree the product was an enjoyable part of their daily routine
• 94% would recommend this product to a friend
• 91% agree their skin texture looks smoother
• 91% agree their skin looks brighter
• 91% agree their skin has a more radiant glow
• 91% agree the redness in their skin is less noticeable
• 91% would purchase this product
• 88% agree their skin tone appears more even
• 88% agree their pores appear smaller and less noticeable
• 88% agree their fine lines and wrinkles are less noticeable
• 84% agree using this product made them feel more confident
Now, the results for our Self Defense Super-Charged Moisturizer:
Clinical and Consumer Test Results:*
In a clinical study on 31 subjects, the following results were reported: Skin Moisturization showed highly significant improvement immediately after application, 24 hours after first use, and after 4 weeks of use with 100% of subjects showing improvement at all three measurements.
• Skin Barrier Function improved significantly immediately after application, 24 hours after first use, and after 4 weeks of use.
• Appearance of Fine Lines and Wrinkles was highly significantly improved after 4 weeks of use, with 97% of participants showing improvement.
In a Consumer Perception Study on 31 subjects, the following results were reported after 4 weeks of use:
• 100% agree their skin texture feels smoother
• 100% agree their skin feels more moisturized
• 100% agree the product was easy to use
• 97% agree their skin looks firmer
• 97% agree their skin texture looks smoother
• 97% agree their skin looks more moisturized
• 97% agree their skin feels more nourished
• 97% agree their skin feels soothed
• 97% agree the product was an enjoyable part of their night time routine 94% would recommend this product to a friend
• 94% would purchase this product
• 90% agree their skin has a more youthful bounce
• 90% agree their skin has a more radiant glow
• 90% agree their skin tone appears more even
• 90% agree their skin looks brighter
• 90% agree the product absorbs quickly
• 87% agree they look well rested after using this product 87% agree the product has a pleasing scent
• 84% agree their pores appear smaller and less noticeable 84% agree using this product made them feel more confident 81% agree the redness in their skin is less noticeable
Sources
Chemists Corner. 2020. Cosmetic testing - in vitro - in vivo - ex vivo - and more - Chemists Corner. [online] Available at: <https://chemistscorner.com/cosmetic-testing-in-vitro in-vivo-ex-vivo-and-more/> [Accessed 15 October 2021].
Hirons, C., 2015. Cheat sheet - Consumer and Clinical trials, In Vivo vs In Vitro and ORAC testing - Caroline Hirons. [online] Caroline Hirons. Available at: <https:// www.carolinehirons.com/2015/04/cheat-sheet-consumer-and-clinical.html> [Accessed 15 October 2021].
Sweeney, S., 2021. Skincare Studies Explained. [online] Trufora. Available at: <https:// www.trufora.com/blogs/beauty-blog/skincare-studies-explained> [Accessed 15 October 2021].
QIMA Life Sciences. 2021. How is In Vitro Testing Done in The Cosmetics Industry? | Bioalternatives. [online] Available at: <https://qima-lifesciences.com/en/how-is-in vitro-testing-done/> [Accessed 15 October 2021].