Cosmetics & Personal Care | Monthly bulletin | May 2025
EmoWave.AI™: AI at the service of the emotional measurement for cosmetic products
In the evolving landscape of cosmetic science, understanding how consumers feel about a product is just as critical as demonstrating its clinical efficacy. EmoWave.AI™ is a cutting-edge EEG-based method to quantify emotional and cognitive responses to cosmetic products, objectively, and in real time.
Using the Muse wearable EEG headband, EmoWave.AI™ captures brainwave activity from four frontal electrodes. While the device does not resolve event-related potentials, it delivers robust data on alpha and beta oscillations, key markers of relaxation and activation.
The EmoWave.AI™ algorithm interprets this brain activity into seven neurocognitive scores:
- Liking,
- Wanting,
- Focus,
- Mindfulness,
- Relax,
- Boredom,
- Stress/Reject.
These dimensions, grounded in neuroscientific research, provide a bi-dimensional mapping of emotional valence and arousal, offering rich insights into consumer engagement, satisfaction, and even subconscious rejection.
From assessing the calming effect of a cosmetic to the impact of packaging, EmoWave.AI™ empowers R&D and marketing teams to bridge emotional with product development, turning subjective impressions into measurable, reproducible data.
This novel approach goes beyond traditional sensory testing, opening a new frontier in product differentiation and consumer-centred innovation.
Glyoxylic acid under surveillance: implications of the European data call for manufacturers
The European Commission is launching a call for data on the use of glyoxylic acid in cosmetic products.
This initiative follows multiple cosmetovigilance alerts reported throughout 2024, which raised significant concerns about a potential association between glyoxylic acid and cases of acute renal failure. In January 2025, these concerns were formally acknowledged by ANSES (the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety), which concluded that glyoxylic acid is highly likely to be responsible for the reported adverse effects.
In response, ANSES has advised the European Commission to initiate a comprehensive risk assessment of glyoxylic acid, with the potential objective of regulating its use via inclusion in the annexes of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products.
This data call specifically concerns the toxicological safety of glyoxylic acid (CAS No. 298-12-4, EC No. 206-058-5) and will remain open from 9 April 2025 to 8 April 2026.
As a trusted partner to the cosmetics industry, Eurofins C&PC is actively supporting stakeholders in compiling and submitting robust safety data. With our deep expertise in toxicological risk assessment, regulatory compliance, and analytical testing, we assist manufacturers and brands in navigating evolving regulatory landscapes and preparing scientific dossiers aligned with European Commission expectations.
Regulatory updates in South Korea (2024-2025): What cosmetics professionals need to know
Faced with an increasingly demanding domestic market and a tightened regulatory framework, manufacturers and distributors operating in South Korea must rapidly adapt their practices to remain competitive. The South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) recently revised several key provisions of the cosmetics regulations.
In early 2025, the MFDS introduced several key amendments to the Enforcement Decree of the Cosmetics Act, with a focus on enhanced labelling and streamlined procedures.
As of early 2025, the following regulatory changes have been implemented by the MFDS:
- Mandatory labelling on outer packaging for all cosmetic products, including bundled or promotional sets
- Simplified labelling rules for cosmetic gift boxes, such as unified lot numbers and expiration dates
- Introduction of an official procedure to request the removal of banned ingredients or modifications to usage standards, now open to manufacturers, responsible distributors, and research institutions
- Strengthened penalties for false or misleading labelling or advertising involving medical or invasive uses
- Acceptance of electronic certificates for six categories of cosmetic-related administrative procedures, enhancing operational efficiency
Looking ahead, South Korea plans to implement a cosmetic safety evaluation system starting in 2028, with full enforcement by 2031. This system will require companies to assess ingredient safety, microbiological risks, and packaging stability. Evaluators must meet specific qualifications, and alternative methods like in silico modelling are encouraged.
At Eurofins C&PC, we support brands at every stage of their regulatory compliance, from ingredient analysis to claim validation. Thanks to our teams specialised in Asian regulations and our safety assessment tools, we can help you anticipate MFDS requirements and optimise your time-to-market.
What’s next?
Trade show
NYSCC Suppliers’ Day – 3-4 June
New York, US
Stand 1967
Cosmetic Business – 4-5 June
Munich, Germany
Stand A11
Kosmetica – 17 June
Milan, Italy
