The well-being generated by the application of cosmetic products on the skin awakens a series of emotions in the consumer that are key to future purchasing decisions. This is why the evaluation of consumer preferences, as a result of sensory, emotional and cognitive responses, is a fundamental aspect for the industry in the development and marketing of cosmetic products.
The study of emotions, neuromarketing, allows a more impartial analysis of decision-making processes in which irrational, intuitive and affective processes play a key role. Sensory analysis is a powerful tool for the cosmetics industry, as sensory research techniques applied in neuroscience can overcome some of the limitations of traditional methodologies.
Within the framework of the COSMEFEEL project, co-financed by FEDER funds and the Valencian Institute for Business Competitiveness (IVACE), neuroscience methodologies, complementary to traditional ones, are being studied to obtain a deeper emotional understanding of consumer behaviour. These include: Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), one of the most sensitive methods for emotional arousal; the measurement of brain activity: electroencephalography (EEG) and Facial Coding (FC), which analyses the face as one of the most powerful tools for non-verbal and unconscious communication.
Sensory analysis in cosmetic products
Sensory analysis is an effective tool comprising a series of scientific methods used to evoke, measure, analyse and interpret reactions or information about a product in relation to what people feel or perceive when they use or consume it. Specifically for cosmetics, the emotions elicited by the product are derived from the smell, touch and visual experience of the product.