Sensory contribution of emollient cascades in skin creams evaluated by CATA analysis

The sensory performance of cosmetic emulsions is a critical determinant of consumer acceptance. While it is understood that emulsifiers are the main sensory contributors, systematic investigations that isolate the sensory contribution of emollients within emulsions remain scarce. This study presents the first comprehensive sensory analysis in a large dataset, specifically examining the impact of emollient cascades on the sensory perception of skin creams while maintaining a fixed emulsifier system. A total of 32 oil-in-water emulsions were formulated with the same emulsifier system at different loads (2.5% vs. 5%), while emollients were systematically varied in type and blend composition (4 blends), ratio (4/3/2 vs. 3/3/3) and total load (9% vs. 18%). Sensory evaluation was conducted using a Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) survey with 50 untrained panellists. The resulting dataset was investigated by univariate parametric and non-parametric statistical tests, as well as multivariate multiple factor analysis (MFA) to assess product discrimination and perceptual structuring. While emulsifiers established the prevailing sensory profile of the emulsions, untrained panellists could differentiate primarily based on visual appearance and static afterfeel attributes, driven by the emollient cascades. MFA revealed that appearance (47.73%) and afterfeel (24.66%) were the principal dimensions driving perception. Conversely, descriptors associated with dynamic application (pick-up, rub-out and immediate skin feel) contributed marginally to discrimination, primarily reflecting the comparatively minor influence of emollients during dynamic sensory stages. The results demonstrate that emulsifiers govern the foundational sensory characteristics of emulsions, while emollients play a decisive role in shaping static afterfeel and visual cues perceptible to untrained users. These findings underscore the sensory relevance of emollients and provide formulation-relevant insights into how controlled emollient selection can meaningfully influence consumer-perceived skin feel beyond emulsifier-driven effects.