Efficacy Tests

The C+K devices are worldwide used as standard instruments in efficacy testing and claim support of cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, raw materials, househol/personal care products, detergents as well as food and food supplements.

The devices are easy and quickly to use, thus perfectly suitable to study the product properties on the skin in each phase of the development process.

The external testing laboratories/CROs all over the globe use the C+K equipment to perform final product tests for documentation.

For more than 35 years the Sebumeter^® has provided the worldwide most used method to reproducibly and accurately determine the sebum level of the skin surface, as well as on scalp and hair. This is documented by the numerous mentions in scientific literature in which the terms "sebumetry" and sebum measurements are inseparable.

The Mexameter^® MX 18 is a very easy, quick and economical tool to measure the two components, mainly responsible for the colour of the skin: melanin and haemoglobin (erythema) by reflectance.

The Tewameter^® TM Hex (successor of the world-wide popular Tewameter^® TM 300) assesses the Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL), indispensable parameter for the evaluation of the water barrier function of the skin, with a revolutionary accuracy and reproducibility.

30 sensors inside the probe “see” the relative humidity and temperature like a camera. The high amount of data allows the user not only to highly accurately measure inside the probe but can show results also for the areas right outside the probe, namely skin surface and ambience above the probe.

Thus, new, exciting parameters (e.g. local skin energy balance and others) may give interesting insights in several research fields.

For more than 30 years elasticity measurements with the Cutometer^® have been recognized as standard in cosmetology and have been used to support the latest discoveries in this field. Due to its precision and ease of use compared to other elasticity measurement methods, the Cutometer^® is mentioned in most studies on this subject worldwide.

The Visioscan^® VC 20plus is a unique UVA-light video camera with high resolution to study the skin surface directly. The SELS^® parameters (Surface Evaluation of the Living Skin) have been developed especially for this camera and are used in numerous studies. The images show the structure of the skin and the level of dryness very impressively. The camera can be used on pigmented spots and lesions and on hair. With its multi-functional software, the Visioscan^® VC 20plus is a very flexible system to characterize skin surface condition easily, accurately and very economically. It has been used on board of the International Space Station ISS for several years.

Corneofix^® is a special adhesive tape collecting corneocytes (flakes of dead cells). The number, size and thickness of the corneocytes indicate the desquamation/hydration level of the stratum corneum. When mounted on the Visioscan^® camera, the desquamation can be evaluated by its software. The tape is ideally suitable for skin stripping and available in several shapes and sizes. The collected desquamation is evaluated chemically or spectrometrically for protein content or any other bioassays. 

Visioline^® VL 650 is the ideal and economic instrument to objectively analyze deeper lines and macro wrinkles such as "crow's feet" as well as the micro structure of the skin. Its measuring principle, illuminating Silflo^® replica by oblique light is well-known (also under the name Quantirides^®) and published in various studies. With its new, extremely sophisticated software, studying wrinkles and skin structure is now most easy, quick and reproducible.

Porphyrins are produced by the Cutibacterium acnes that occurs in the natural bacterial flora of human skin (skin flora). Under certain UV illumination, the porphyrins can be recognized by their orange-red fluorescence. With a corresponding predisposition, they can lead to the development of acne. The Visiopor^® camera uses a specific UV-light with polarisation filters to visualize the fluorescence impressively.

For the first time objective, highly accurate measurements on the nail are possible. In collaboration with Prof. Paola Perugini from the University of Pavia in Italy we have developed a patented device to analyse mechanical properties of nails, such as firmness, elasticity and thickness.

The VisioFace^® RD and its software have been developed together with our partners in France at Monaderm to take highest resolution full face photos under standardized conditions for the documentation of treatments and studies. It is focused on simple organisation of the photos and detailed comparisons.

Lipids produced by the Meibomian glands keep the moisture of the tear fluid, thereby prevent the eyes from drying and keep them clear with comfortable vision. The typical dry eye problem is caused when the lipid production at the Meibomian glands is disrupted. The tear film becomes destabilized and can break down quickly, creating dry spots on the surface of the eyes. The Meibometer^® is the first and only measurement tool worldwide offering an interesting and unique approach to assess this deficiency.

22 MHz ultrasound is an interesting tool to measure skin thickness and density in vivo with plenty of different applications. The Ultrascan UC 22 is OEM made especially for C+K and our customers to complete the product range of skin testing parameters with an extremely economic, easy to handle and absolutely accurate ultrasound device for cosmetic research.