In order to prove the strong performance of our skincare products, we organise a clinical trial for the final formula. A clinical trial is a non-biased, third-party lab test using a panel of people where the product is assessed using robust protocols and lab instruments. Clinical testing is often used for finished products because it is suited for observing the overall effects of the product during normal consumer use. We invest heavily in independent clinical trials to demonstrate the physical effects of our products on the skin. In all independent clinical trials, products must achieve a ‘statistically significant’ effect on the skin, otherwise they will go back into re-formulation and re-efficacy trials. At ELEMIS, we use robust scientific data to help us choose the most efficacious ingredients for proven product performance. These are the different types of studies we use to help craft our award-winning products: In-vitro (Latin for ‘in glass’) - These are studies and experiments performed on biological cells outside the body. They can be carried out on primary human cells or reconstructed models. Performed in small-scale petri-dish/lab cultures, normally on behalf of raw material manufacturers, we use this type of data to see what type of performance the active ingredients have the potential to do in a finished product. In-vivo (Latin for ‘within the living’) - This is experimentation using a whole, living organism – in this case, our independent third-party lab panelists. For every product we develop, we always organise a clinical, in-vivo test for the final formula using robust protocols and lab instruments. In-vivo testing is often used for finished products instead of in-vitro because it is better suited for observing the overall effects of the product during normal consumer use.