Haircare Safety & Efficacy Testing

Hair color palette

Reinforcing consumer confidence in their haircare products.

Comprehensive hair product testing solutions utilizing the latest assessment techniques and technologies.

Our global network of specialists, based at laboratories and human panel testing sites in North America, Europe and Asia, provide tailormade solutions for claim substantiation and product evaluation. Whether your product is designed for commercial or domestic use, our studies accurately replicate real-life conditions to provide you with high-quality results.

Verify your product's safety and efficacy with our testing and certification services.

Laboratory Testing

Evaluate the performance of your haircare products under laboratory conditions.

Testing solutions include:

  • Wet & dry combability - watch the demo
  • 3-point-bending-stiffness
  • Hair suppleness
  • Friction (dry)
  • Long-lasting-hold
  • Stress/curl-retention - watch the demo
  • Volume & volume - built-up effect
  • Anti-frizzy effect
  • Determination of hair breakage
  • Hair coloration
  • Color equalization
  • Washing resistance
  • Light-/UV-protection of hair color
  • Hair color coverage
  • Rubbing-resistance
  • Hair coloration (wet or dry)
  • Gloss
  • Grey hair coverage
  • Determination of thermal hair damage
  • Split ends repair test
  • Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
  • Thermographic imaging

This list is not exhaustive, we offer many more tests. Ask us for more details.

Salon Evaluations

Asses the performance of your haircare products on a diverse selection of test subjects and hair types.

Using professionally trained hair stylists operating under salon conditions, our tailormade evaluations let you verify claims associated with a wide variety of haircare products:

  • Shampoos and conditioners
  • Anti-dandruff haircare products
  • Scalp treatments
  • Hair color
  • Styling treatments
  • Electronic hair care appliances

Salon evaluations include:

  • Product qualities – consistency, foam, firmness, application, and easy to rinse
  • Combability and touch/feel (wet & dry)
  • Coloration result
  • Drying time
  • Hair qualities – shine, density, thickness, volume, moisture, frizz control, static, hold, curl retention and definition and manageability
  • Half head test
  • Anti-dandruff efficacy

This list is not exhaustive, we offer many more tests. Ask us for more details.

Learn more about hair product testing >

Hair Growth Efficacy Testing

Our global network of specialists, based at laboratories and human panel testing sites in North America, Europe and Asia, provide tailormade solutions for claim substantiation and product evaluation. Whether your product is designed for commercial or domestic use, our clinical studies, using our diverse subject database, accurately replicate real-life conditions to provide you with high-quality results.

Studies typically last 8-24 weeks, using participants with self-perceived loss/thinning and/or a certain pattern of hair loss/androgenetic alopecia according to the Ludwig or Norwood classification. Efficacy can be established through a combination of subjective and objective measurements to deliver authoritative results, all backed by digital imaging.

Assessment techniques include:

  • Investigator rating images of the participants scalp
  • Shed hair counts
  • Macrophotography of the target scalp area
  • Hi-res image analysis for follicle count, length/growth rate, thickness, and terminal and vellus hair counts
  • Participant’s assessment

Why SGS?

As an independent partner, and the world leader in inspection, testing and certification services, we offer turnkey and innovative solutions to help you verify the safety, efficacy and quality of your cosmetics and personal care products.

With our global network of ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratories and human panel testing sites covering all major markets, we have the capabilities in place to help you successfully access international markets and add value to your brand.

Contact us