Great Instruments, Great Look

The consistency of cosmetic products is very important because products need to be applied easily, feel great on the skin and also last as long as possible. Additionally, companies are constantly working on new formulations, which can also change the properties and consistencies of cosmetic products. This is why cosmetic producers constantly perform consistency testing on their products, for example, with the Anton Paar penetrometer PNR 12.

Consistency of semi-solids

Depending on the sample, a testing set must be defined in advance,  which is then mounted in the PNR 12. During measurement, test bodies such as cones and needles with defined weights and geometrics are placed on the surface. The retainer is then released and the plunger with the test body is dropped. After five seconds, the plunger is returned and the penetration depth is measured.

The penetration depth corresponds with the penetration value, measured in 1/10 mm = PU (penetration unit). Thus, the consistency of lipstick or creams can be measured within seconds – even at various temperatures. The measured penetration value is then classified. A PU of 80, for example, means a bad ink metering and bad character properties; an ideal penetration value would be 100 PU. A value of more than 130 PU, on the other hand, may lead to the lipstick smudging.