Laboratory testing

Cosmetics

65 years of experience. At your disposal

Contact us
HEAD OFFICE & CENTRAL LABORATORY
J.S. Hamilton International Sp. z o.o. phone: +48 58 766 99 14
81-571 Gdynia, POLAND hamilton@hamilton.com.pl
ul. Chwaszczyńska 180 www.hamilton.com.pl

MEET OUR TEAM

POLAND LATVIA
Gdynia Riga

Jola Giedziuszewicz Jevgenija Makijenko

jgiedziuszewicz@hamilton.com.pl jmakijenko@hamilton.com.pl
phone +48 661600052 phone +371 25916560

ROMANIA CZECH REPUBLIC

Bucharest Prague

Gabriela Pizamosca Ivana Korbova

gpizamosca@hamilton.com.pl ikorbova@hamilton.com.pl
phone +40 755804645 phone +420 721779080

HUNGARY FRANCE
Budapest Lens

Marcell Uri Alexandra Gapska

uri.marcell@hamilton.com.pl agapska@hamilton.com.pl
phone +36 304278087 phone +33 616486413

LATVIA
Riga

Gdynia

POLAND

Prague
Lens CZECH REPUBLIC
FRANCE

Budapest
ROMANIA
HUNGARY
Bucharest
About J.S. Hamilton
The name of J.S. Hamilton means not only professional approach to quality matters but also full
impartiality and independence confirmed by relevant accreditations. We offer the
comprehensive services scope required for checking the quality of cosmetic products to conform
with European and international laws. Our service is part of a quality process to ensure safety,
quality and finally the efficacy and claims objectivation of cosmetics products.
The J.S. Hamilton team of experienced analysts, cosmetologists, safety assessors and medical
specialists ensure the highest standard of our services. Our testing laboratories operating since
1949 offer a wide scope of chemical, physical, biochemical, microbiological and sensory analysis.
At present we are the leader in laboratory services in Eastern Europe.

Why not to make use of our offer ?

Our strengths are:

highly qualified staff / state-of-the-art equipment / years of
experience in the laboratory testing / regulatory affairs specialists
/ network of accredited laboratories / ISO 17025 accreditation /
adherence to the recommendations of GMP & GCP /
innovativeness / friendly customer service / cooperation based on
partnership relations
Microbiological purity
and evaluation of the antimicrobial
protection of a cosmetic product
Our laboratories are able to test cosmetic raw
materials and final products for a full range of
organisms, including pathogens, to ensure they
comply with international safety standards.
ISO 21149 / Total aerobic plate count
ISO 18416 / Candida albicans
ISO 22718 / Staphylococcus aureus
ISO 22717 / Pseudomonas aeruginosa
ISO 21150 / Escherichia coli
ISO 16212 / Yeast and mould
Other specific microorganism analysis
We provide also hygiene monitoring of premises by
testing environmental swabs.

Challenge tests -
preservation efficacy
Evaluation of the antimicrobial protection of personal care products is important to ensure the
safety of the products prior to consumer use.
The standard ISO 11930:2012 helps to test applied preservation system effectiveness.
It is based on the inoculation of a personal care product with a known concentration of 5 relevant
strains of microorganisms, specifically S. aureus, E.coli, P. aeruginosa, C. albicans and A. brasiliensis.
The remaining concentration of microorganisms is determined at defined intervals during
a period of 28 days. 
J.S. Hamilton microbiological laboratories provide Challenge tests with accredited method.
Skin
compatibility
assessment under
dermatological
control

Patch testing is a method of determination if

product that comes in contact with the skin
will cause its inflammation. The 48-hour
patch test allows the assessment of the
primary irritation potential of a topical
product. The test is conducted on a panel of
at least 25 subjects under the supervision of
a dermatologist. The patches used can be
occlusive or semi-occlusive depending on
the nature of the product. On the basis of
the results of the study, J.S. Hamilton helps Cosmetic Product
producers to prove that claims such as
“dermatologically tested” or “non-irritating” Safety Report
can be placed on the product label.
(CPSR)

On 11th of July 2013 the Cosmetics

Regulation 1223/2009 replaced previous
existing Cosmetics Directive 76/768/EEC. If
you manufacture cosmetics which will be sold
within EU, you are legally obliged to have
carried out a safety assessment of each
product confirmed by a relevant Cosmetic
Product Safety Report (CPSR).
The CPSR is not only a mandatory document
in the EU, but also widely requested by
buyers from outside EU.
CPSRs provided by J.S. Hamilton are drawn
up by a team of high qualified Safety
Assessors whose competences have been
confirmed by Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
In-use test
In-use tests (Consumer Acceptability Tests) are based on the
self-perception of the volunteers in order to confirm the fulfillment of
the expectations for the product, used under normal conditions.
In-use tests are designed to evaluate the consumer acceptance of the
cosmetic, especially for products of general topical use. The main
principle of the study is that a panel of volunteers uses the products
on a daily basis following its application mode and the given
frequency. All project assumptions (volunteers selection, application
time and frequency etc.) are always pre-established with the
customer by J.S. Hamilton experts. Depending on the type of product
and customer requirements testing is carried out under the
supervision of a respective medical specialist.

Volunteers panels can be used as a part of product

development program to:
develop a new product
determine if it is possible for consumers to
notice changes in product formula
understand the importance of changes
that will get a particular consumer reaction
determine which products and concepts in
a range of prototypes are the most
promising
substantiate label claims
The opinion of consumers is also reported in terms
of “willingness to buy” and comparison with the
products currently used by the volunteers.
Efficacy tests
Efficacy studies are used to validate your products’ intended purpose, substantiate claims and/or
to gain an edge on your competition. National and international authorities require that efficacy
claims of cosmetic products should be substantiated scientifically using state-of-the-art
measurement techniques. J.S. Hamilton laboratory provides measurements of important skin-
associated parameters such as:
Skin hydration (Corneometer)
Sebum on the skin surface, scalp and hair (Sebumeter)
Assessing melanin content and erythema level (Mexameter)
Transepidermal waterloss and skin barrier function (Tewameter)
Elasticity measurement by suction (Cutometer)
pH-Measurement on skin and scalp (pH-Meter)
Gloss on skin, lips, nails and hair (Skin-Glossymeter)
Skin topography directly from the skin (Visioscan)
High resolution standardized full face photography for treatment documentation
(VisioFace)
Assessing the skin macro relief by replica and oblique lighting (Visioline)
Assessing the skin micro relief (Skin-Visiometer)
All tests can be combined with a detailed questionnaire giving the consumers’ opinion on
the products. We can help you to support the following examples of claims using objective
instrumental techniques:
Improves skin hydration 
Improves moisturization 
Improves skin condition 
Reduces fine lines and wrinkles (anti-aging) 
Reduces skin oiliness 
Improves rate of skin turnover (desquamation rate) 
Improves skin exfoliation
Reduces skin pigmentation variation
Improves self-tanning color, evenness and application time
Improves appearance of scars
More even skin complexion
Reduces the appearance of age spots
Long-term styling hold (hair products)
SPF, water
resistance,
very water
resistance,
UVA

Sunscreen products contain substances that filter or block UV light, so-called “sun protection
factor” (SPF). The SPF value indicated on sun protection products is established on the basis of in
vivo tests on humans. J.S. Hamilton laboratories offer sun products testing with solar simulators
(Solar Light).
In vivo determination of the Sun Protection Factor (SPF) – ISO 24444 & FDA guidelines.
The test consists in identifying the minimum dose of UV radiation causing a modest and
limited skin reddening. The procedure is performed on volunteers’ skin without
protection and then on the skin protected by the sun product. According to the standard,
the test is carried out on 10 subjects however, we perform also screening tests on
5 subjects that may be useful for newly developed products.
In vivo determination of the water resistance - ISO 24444 and COLIPA guidelines.
This test was designed to confirm the efficacy of UV filters after two 20 minutes
immersions of the volunteers in water. The product labelled with the claim “very water
resistant” follow the same procedure but adding 2 more immersions. After bathing 50%
of the SPF must persist.

We provide also:
Determination of UVA protection
and critical wavelength - COLIPA guidelines.
A good sunscreen product should provide
a UVA protection that is available in
a reasonable relation to UVB protection. The
test method is based on the principle of
transmission measurement of UV light
through a thin film of the sunscreen product,
which was previously applied to a specific
slide. The transmission is measured before
and after irradiation with a single dose of UV
radiation and the UVA protection is
calculated.
Determination of photo-toxicity and
photo-allergy – in vivo tests for irritancy
and/or allergy potential following exposures
to UV light.
Stability and compatibility
of cosmetic products
The purpose of stability testing cosmetic products is to ensure that a new or modified product
meets the intended physical, chemical and microbiological quality standards as well as
functionality and aesthetics when stored under appropriate conditions.
The parameters to be determined in Stability tests:
Physical and chemical analysis: pH value, viscosity and emulsion stability (signs of
separation)
Sensory analysis (appearance, texture, color, odor/fragrance)
Microbiological examination: evaluation of the degree of contamination with bacteria,
mold and yeast
Packaging stability tests: evaluation of the impact of packaging on the contained product

Physical/Chemical Stability Tests Microbiological examination

Temperature variations - If a product is stored Candida albicans
at 45°C for three months then it should be Pseudomonas aeruginosa
stable at room temperature for two years. The
Staphylococcus aureus
product should also be subjected to -10°C for
three months Mold and yeast
Cycle testing - the product should pass three
cycles of temperature testing from -10°C to
25°C
Centrifuge testing - heating of the product to
50°C and centrifuged for thirty minutes at
3000 rpm
Light testing - both product and packaging can
be sensitive to the UV radiation so they are
placed in the light to see possible
discoloration of the product and the package

Packaging Stability Tests

Glass tests - all testing should be done in glass
and the actual packaging
Weight loss tests - this testing is done at room
temperature and at 45°C for a period of three
months
Leaking tests - testing the packaged product
in various orientations (upright, inverted, on
its side, etc.) to determine whether the
packaging may leak

The final stability testing programme is individually agreed with

the Customer and depends on type of cosmetics manufactured.
Chemical
& physical
analysis
Formaldehyde / Preservatives / Heavy metals /
Nitrosamines / Pesticides according to
European Pharmacopoeia / Residual solvents

Testing of
packaging
intended
for cosmetics
There are no specific legal requirements
related to packaging for cosmetics however,
a number of other legislative requirements
referring to food contact materials are
recommended to be applied for cosmetic
packaging. J.S. Hamilton laboratories provide
the following tests for food and cosmetic
packaging:
Sensory analysis
Overall migration
Specific migration
Heavy metals
Volatile organic compounds / VOC
Barrier property test
Child resistant closures (CRC) test
EU legislation compliance –
regulatory support
According to EU legislation a Responsible Person has to be designated by a manufacturer /
importer of cosmetic products for all dealings with the regulatory authorities in the European
Union. The specific tasks of the EU RP are described in the cosmetic regulation 1223/2009.
J.S. Hamilton, along with its partners, offers the following services:
product notification to all relevant EU Competent Authorities and the European
Cosmetic Products Notification Portal CPNP
Preparation and/or review of Product Information File and Dossier
Guidance in the labeling
Post-marketing surveillance & Complaint handling
Continuous support and updates on EU legislation
65 years of experience. At your disposal www.hamilton.com.pl