COSMETICS RESEARCH 49 of appropriate, available tools with which to shape the solution is often comparatively simple, even routine. The end result of the research effort may be the production of a new research tool, of a new cosmetic product or of a new point of view, of a new principle or "law." I hold that true cosmetic research is difficult primarily because the standards to be chosen by the re- searcher are composed of elements derived from three sources. The simplest type of standard to under- stand is that which is related to a study of reasonably well-understood laws already worked out in such fields of natural science as mathe- matics, physics, or chemistry. More complex factors .are intro- duced by the researcher himself when he exercises his choice of standards while stating his problem and conceiving his plan of action. Were his choices purely subjective to himself the cosmetic research prob- lem would already have become as complex as an ambitious worker would desire. But then comes the truly complicating element. The desired end product must involve a second individual and all of his (or her) personal peculiarities. There is no known way to measure these final results. Success is considered achieved only if the user is pleased when receiving the benefit of the researcher's effort. And herein lie the greatest un- certainties that beset our science. Perhaps this is the area wherein art overlaps, and is indistinguishable from, science. Certainly profound psychological influences must be recognized, weighed, perhaps evalu- ated-if they can be standardized or measured. But here again we can be but little objective. These user reactions are not themselves direct influences bearing upon the state- ment of the problem. They bear rather upon the researcher and it is only their reflections from him that become factors guiding choice of action or selection of standards for measure or comparison. Let us suppose a case of "cosmetic pathology." The situation may be defined as an undesired deviation from the norm. The norm may be described as a condition desirably close to the median of the "cos- metically-wished-for." Already we flounder for we must utilize de- scriptive adjectives that imply re- action by some individual subject. They are adjectives of comparative but not of absolute values. What is the meaning of beautiful? When is a person radiant? Can two or more people agree upon how beauti- ful any one may be ? True our scientist may elect more determinate end points by analyzing his problem and dealing with small segments. But sooner or later all truly commensurable and objective factors must be merged and as a whole submitted to scrutiny in the light of"what will people think ?" Let us now examine the complex multiplicity of the factors involved in the actual scientific research into a cosmetic problem. We may for convenience divide some of the ob- vious, major considerations into

50 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS classes, each of which must be ex- amined further. Suppose we deal first with a group that may well be entitled "prem- ises." Here we will try to de- termine the roles of those factors that, in a limited sense, may be called a priori. These are the primal assumptions to be thought of as the environment from which the problem itself may arise. These premises should be independent of the problem and its solution and of all the influences brought to bear in the solution of the problem. They are not, however, inde- pendent of the statement of the problem or the formulation of the initial concept that leads to a care- ful formulation of the solution-- subjective and objective--of a pro- gram of scientific research. Such premises may begin with considera- tion of the influence of the current social field. What influence does the reaction of the mass of society have upon the conception and formulation of a cosmetic research problem? And what mass-psy- chological factors must be con- sidered before any other mental step is taken ? Obviously we must include in our consideration the effect of the equilibrium of the mass influence upon the individual investigator and the individual's influence upon the mass. At this level the investiga- tor may assume that the mass re- sponse is the sum of the component individual responses. In doing so he exercises his own judgment of value of these factors. Perhaps even more important than the objective effect of the in- dividual act upon society, is the imagined or subjective effect that the individual believes he produces. The importance of this factor is readily accepted as the major mo- tive for the positive action of the subjective individual. At this mo- ment the prime object of cosmetic research is commercial enterprise. It is fruitful, therefore, to think of the balance between a user's desire to produce a specific effect upon his fellows and the cost in dollars or time of the actions and products concerned. We then realize the entrance of those factors of premise or environ- ment that may be called practical. The weight they lend to decision about the nature of the 'research depends largely upon the further exercise of judgment or the assign- ment of value--which bears upon the statement of the problem. Thus it can be seen that problemiza- tion is profoundly influenced by premises outside of the control of as well as within the selection of the student formulating the research plan. Also among the premises are in- fluences that might be grouped as "tools" or means of pursuit of in- quiry some may call this as- sembly "methodization." It is ex- tremely fortunate that so many other fields of inquiry are constantly contributing to methodization in cosmetic research. The contention that the application of quantitative measurement to research constitutes