MODERN COSMETICS--ILLUSION AND REALITY 509 the pot of eye shadow are often ends in themselves, to be judged solely in comparison with other crayons, sticks and pots, whereas the real end-point is the creation of more attractive women. To quote a well known writer: "Too many scientists are interested in colour photography and Hi-fi rather than in art and music". Another important factor is the problem of devising satisfactory develop- ment and formulation testing for these products. Unfortunately, make-up does not lend itself to the laboratory test procedures developed for specialities, and the only meaningful test is application on the face. Most of the standard test procedures used in the cosmetic industry for the consumer evaluation of products have serious limitations, especially when used for testing make- up items and better tests will certainly have to be devised. Best known is the comparatively large representative panel of women chosen, for example, by the advertising or market research agency. This type of panel is anonymous as far as the laboratory is concerned and can only be used for the testing of final or near-final formulations, through the medium of replies to a standard questionnaire. By its very nature, this will only discriminate between gross differences in products and its only real value is to confirm an answer which is already known. Most cosmetic houses also test products through their own beauty salons which appears to be an obvious and helpful procedure, but since the products will obviously be linked with the house name, only testing of the near-final formulations is possible. Even in this respect, the tests can be quite mis- leading as both users and method of use are untypical with respect to the main sales market. Application of the products is carried out by beauticians whose skill and experience will overcome most defects of the product whilst the clientele of the salon will, in general, consist of women in the older age group whose opinions on colour, texture, etc., will otten be quite different from the average. A more useful panel may be set up inside the cosmetic house, consisting of factory and office personnel in the proportions which more or less constitute the market of the particular house. There are difficulties in having such a panel under direct laboratory control, the most important being the natural reluctance of heads of departments to allow time off for staff during the day to test cosmetics under laboratory supervision. As a result the cosmetics are usually tested at home. The main criticism of all these types of test procedures is that the testing of the products is either partly or wholly divorced from the laboratory. The type of test procedure which is most fruitful for the development of better cosmetics is one in which highly trained and experienced girls take the place of laboratory apparatus. The panel should preferably be small in number so that it can function easily as part of the laboratory service and the cosmetic likes and dislikes of each panellist are well known. For example,

510 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS the durability and attractiveness of lipstick, nail enamel and eye make-up are all strongly dependent on the subjective attitude of the particular user to the shade worn and it is important to be aware of this. As this is a professional panel and will spend most of its time testing either one's own or competitive products, its members will develop good critical faculties. Products can be tested in the early stages of formulation, and unsatisfactory products eliminated, for the chemists will hardly be able to escape criticism at such close quarters. This type of test procedure has little in common witb. the use of women members of the laboratory staff on a haphazard and occasional basis of product testing. In the field of skin care products, such as the moisturising creams and• lotions, night creams of all types and the so-called medico-cosmetics, there is an unbridgeable gap between the illusion of eternal youth and the hard reality of advancing age--a gap which cannot be closed by any cream.. Scientists tend to regard with much cynicism the extravagant claims made by copywriters. In addition, certain well meaning champions of the public good seize upon these particular cosmetics to paint the picture of an unscru- pulous industry selling worthless products at high prices to foolish, gullible women. The nett result of these factors could be the product[on of a negative attitude to the formulation of better skin care products. The outlook for altering the appearance of the skin by the use of medico-. cosmetics is not encouraging. The use of therapeutic substances, as in the pharmaceutical industry, to produce definite changes in or on the body may produce undesirable side-effects. The risk involved has to be calculated and, as recent history has shown, can be tragically wrong. There may be some justification for this risk in the pharmaceutical industry, but none whatever in the cosmetic 'industry. For this reason, the incorporation of' therapeutic substances into cosmetics must be carried out in such a way that no one can possibly be harmed, either because of undue sensitivity or through prolonged use or mis-use. This imposes limitations on the type and dosage level of therapeutic substances available for incorporation into medico- cosmetics. Even when an active ingredient is discovered which produces. visible changes on the skin, the permissible dosage and potency of the agent will be at such a low level that on!y a small minority of women are likely to experience any real benefit. Fortunately, this apparent deadlock does not mean the prohibition of legitimate skin care products. To return once more to the pharmaceutical industry, a substantial number of products of no proven value are prescribed by doctors and used by grateful patients this includes, for example, "tonics", sedatives and tranquillisers. Just as women seek eternal youth, knowing that it cannot be achieved, so do many people seek tranquillity in a tablet, knowing that the real prob!em is the life they live. The desire to have some actual product