Cosmetic gel and patch performance testing
GelTech Labs runs performance testing, not safety testing, on cosmetic gels, hydrogel patches and encapsulated actives. We measure fluid uptake, rheology and release across heat and pH, so formulation teams can separate a real difference between two close gels from measurement scatter.
Discuss a pilot studyBetter gels chosen sooner, and on shelves faster
Formulation teams often choose between gels that differ only in crosslinking or active loading. Data that separates them means fewer reformulation loops and better products on shelves sooner.
- 3x
- higher precision than manual methods, so a small formulation difference stands out.
- Check a change before it ships
- Rerun the same methods after an ingredient or supplier swap to see whether performance moved.
- A formulation decision sooner
- Testing runs around the clock, with no one blotting and weighing by hand.
Cosmetic gel tests and what each answers
| Measurement | What it answers | How it's measured |
|---|---|---|
| Fluid uptake | How much fluid a gel or patch takes up, and how fast. | Carousel weighs each sample. |
| Rheology | Whether a gel keeps its structure as heat and pH change. | Viscosity, G′ and G″ on a rheometer. |
| Active release | How fast an active leaves. | UV-Vis or mass spectrometry on sampled medium. |
Performance across temperature and pH
Heat speeds a gel's breakdown and pH changes the charge on its chains, so both shift performance. Carousel runs from ambient to 60 °C, pH 1.5 to 12.
Gels, patches and delivery systems
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Topical gels
Amorphous gels such as hyaluronic acid and carbomer.
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Patches and hydrogel sheets
A gel layer on a backing, sent on its liner.
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Delivery systems
Microparticles and encapsulates carrying an active.
What this testing doesn't cover
- Safety, toxicology, microbial and preservative-efficacy testing.
- Consumer, in-use and clinical panels.
- Shelf-life stability programs.
- Claim substantiation. Your team decides what the data supports.
How a cosmetics study starts
Get a dataset and report on your own material through a pilot study: ship us your formulation, or have us formulate it, and our R&D services team runs the study. Teams that test often can run the same methods on their own Carousel, with install, training and a 30-day trial.
- 01
Formulation
Yours, or one we develop with you.
- 02
Uptake and release
Carousel weighs uptake; integrated instruments assay actives.
- 03
Conditions
The same runs across heat and pH.
- 04
Dataset
A documented dataset and report.
Plan a formulation study
Tell us which gels you're choosing between and what they need to do.