“Unconventional” cosmetic textures (e.g. jellies, bouncy gels, slime like primers, cushion creams, stringy gel cleansers, and sensory-morphing anhydrous lip balms) are increasingly central to product differentiation, particularly in Korean and K beauty–inspired formulations.

This study investigates six commercial products to correlate the ingredients used to formulate them, solely based on their Ingredient Lists, with rheological behaviour and mechanical texture analysis in relation to the type of texture obtained and the sensory perceived.

Using ingredient based mechanistic reasoning, supported by the data generated, the study strives to elucidate how polymer networks, lamellar emulsions, silicone elastomers, wax/ester matrices, and humectant systems generate distinct soft-matter physico-mechanical behaviours that map directly onto consumer perceived attributes such as bounce, cushion, slip, extreme stringiness, memory-shape.

Moreover, and perhaps more importantly, this study, based on instrumental techniques that, nowadays, most R&D cosmetic laboratories possess, aims at inspiring, and, to some extent providing some guidelines on how to use tools and colloidal-&-polymer chemistry background to develop products that are emotionally engaging and fun to use.