Sensory Characterization of Cosmetic Emulsions – Hands-On Workshop

Course Overview

The sales potential of cosmetic products is greatly determined by skin feel and skin sensory performance. To please the target audience, it is important to gather information about consumers’ perception of products’ sensory characteristics. Sensory characteristics, including appearance, rub-out, pick-up, and after-feel, can help build an emotional relationship with the consumer, trigger excitement, and help consumers purchase the product again and again, which is the primary goal of developing products.

This exciting hybrid course features a combination of online classroom instruction followed by a full day of in-person, hands-on workshop exercises, the day before NYSCC Suppliers Day. Participants will learn about the various types of sensory testing available in the cosmetic industry, their advantages and drawbacks, and will have the chance to participate in an adaptive aesthetic approach experience, connecting varied creams, lotions, and serums to target audiences.

Who Should Attend

This course will be useful for scientists, salespeople and cosmetic marketers alike. This includes formulators, quality control chemists, and product development professionals. Raw material salespeople will also benefit from learning about sensory testing.

Pricing:

Early Bird (Expires 05/01/2025)

• $500 - SCC Member
• $650 - Non-Member
• $300 – SCC Junior/Student Member

Regular

• $550 - SCC Member
• $700 - Non-Member
• $325 – SCC Junior or Student Member

For the in-person workshop portion of the course, registration price includes breakfast and lunch. View our CEP Course Pricing and Refund Policy.

Companies registering 5+ or 10+ SCC members for this course are eligible for a discounted group registration. For more details on group registrations, or if you have any other questions about this event, please contact SCC Headquarters Staff.

If also applying for SCC membership, please allow up to five business days for application processing. 

Instructors: Gabriella Baki, PhD, Mark Chandler, Nina Poccia

Format: Hybrid (Online & In-Person)

Dates:

Live Online Classroom

• Tuesday, May 20, 2025 (11:00am - 2:30pm ET)
• Wednesday, May 21, 2025 (11:00am - 2:30pm ET)
• Includes 24/7 access to course recordings, if unable to make the live online classroom dates, through June 23, 2025

In-Person Workshop

• Monday, June 2, 2025 (9:00 am - 5:00 pm ET)

During NYSCC Suppliers' Day

Location:

Jacob Javits Center 
429 11th Ave
New York, NY 10001

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REGISTER NOW

The in-person workshop portion of this course will take place on June 2, 2025, the day before the NYSCC Suppliers' Day Exhibition Show (June 3-4, 2025). You can register for the entire course (online & in-person) by selecting the course as an add-on option during the regular registration process for NYSCC Suppliers' Day.

Course Outline

Importance of texture and sensory testing basics – in this section participants will learn about why texture and skin feel are important for consumers. Additionally, participants will learn about the various ways of how product aesthetics can be tested and how a sensory testing should be designed. 

• Importance of texture and sensory characteristics for cosmetic emulsions
• Human senses from the perspective of sensory analysis – vision, touch, smell, taste and sound
• How to measure aesthetics? – instrumental measurements vs sensory analysis
• Sensory test methods for preferences vs. differences – affective vs. analytical methods
• Tips for selecting the right sensory test method for a product
• Variables to consider when designing a sensory evaluation test – panel, product, test room

An innovative approach to getting an insight into consumer preferences – in this section, participants will learn about an innovative sensory testing method, the instructors will share a case study.

• CATA survey for the sensory characterization of emulsions using untrained consumers
• Study objective, setup, test
• Results and main conclusions

Use of sensory panels:

• What are sensory panels and how can they be used for cosmetics
• Sensory attributes for cosmetics 
• Common sensory panel methodologies (example: triangle test, profiles)
• Sensory data analysis & results (example: t-test comparisons, mappings, correlations) 
• Sensory for marketing

About the Instructors

Gabriella Baki, PhD 

University of Toledo

Gabriella Baki, PhD is an associate professor at the University of Toledo College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. She serves as the program director and main instructor for various lectures and laboratories in a unique undergraduate program, the BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences Cosmetic Science and Formulation Design major. It is the first undergraduate program in the United States that focuses exclusively on cosmetics and personal care products

Dr. Baki is a pharmacist, graduated in 2008 from the University of Szeged, Hungary; and she also has a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics from the same university. She has been a faculty member at the University of Toledo since January, 2012. Dr. Baki’s main research focus lies in the area of topical delivery for active ingredients and cosmetic actives, and sensory testing of products. In silico modeling is used in optimizing formulations and selecting the best ingredients for a particular purpose. The goals are to formulate aesthetically appealing products and to achieve better delivery of active ingredients/cosmetic actives into the skin and, as a result improve consumer satisfaction/patient compliance. Dr. Baki has made several technical presentations, and over four dozen poster presentations. She has also written more than 30 publications, has contributed to a few book chapters and has a book, Introduction to Cosmetic Formulation and Technology, published by John Wiley and Sons.
 

Nina Poccia

L’Oréal

Nina Poccia is a Senior Sensory Scientist at L’Oréal Research and Innovation working in the Evaluation Intelligence team. She’s worked 8 years in consumer product companies and the last 5 in sensory science. Prior to her sensory roles, she worked externally in formulation and claims substantiation. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Monmouth University. Nina’s had a transversal career in sensory at L’Oréal having worked across makeup, hair and skin.  Most recently, she works to understand the sensory performance of skincare products. In her role at L’Oréal she links the sensory performance to formulation and market trends. She works closely with lab partners, global teams and the brands to leverage the sensory data to move projects forward to the market and understand the competitive landscape. Nina has done several academic presentations and technical training and has published several papers and posters to sensory and cosmetic conferences worldwide.