Blogs at TRI Princeton: A Useful Educational Tool

The science behind cosmetics products has always been of interest to the public, but in recent years there has been a substantial rise in misinformation, particularly on social media platforms. False ingredient claims, green-washing and dangerous health advice are all prevalent, and can be used to mislead consumers and promote harmful practices, negatively impacting upon the credibility of the beauty industry in general.  

The TRI blogs, also known as ‘The Latest at TRI’, are a valuable resource for anyone interested in the field of cosmetic science and want to read content that is factually accurate and written by experts. Our blogs cover a range of topics relating to skin and hair, including claims substantiation for specific products or product classes and how the key techniques used at TRI work. We also debunk any myths behind popular trends, or explain why or how a particular trend works, for example scalp spas. In all cases, background and context is given for the topic in question – fully refenced, of course! – which is followed by easy-to-follow scientific explanations and, when we can, real-life data. We follow the science, not the rumours. 

Alongside our blogs, we also offer the TRI Bite-Size series, which is part of the TRI Academy. These articles provide short, crisp and informative reviews on various topics. Importantly, they’re written with undergraduate students and professionals new to cosmetic science in mind, and are designed to orientate readers in different subject areas. We deliberately include signposting to further, more in-depth, learning materials, many of which can be found in the TRI Library, to build our readers’ knowledge and understanding. 

We’re not afraid to take on challenging topics, with one of our most-read articles being a short piece outlining the use of vibrational spectroscopy (IR and Raman) within claims substantiation: An Introduction to IR and Raman Spectroscopy: Harnessing the Power of Light in Molecular Analysis. This article outlines the principles behind IR and Raman spectroscopy, including some of the fundamental physics, but in an accessible and easy-to-understand way. A brief discussion about where these techniques can be used in practice, and how they can provide considerable help with product development and claim substantiation, is also included. 

Other topics we’ve covered include glass hair, bond-builders, hair UV protection, and skin hydration testing. It’s possible to search for a blog on a particular topic using the website’s new search function. Or, if we haven’t covered a topic that you’d like to know more about, let us know and we’ll write something!