As part of the Mary Kay Research & Development team, the Clinical and Consumer Evaluation Department is dedicated to determining the needs of consumers of Mary Kay^® products. They test and measure the safety, efficacy and overall performance of Mary Kay^® products among consumers and help the Company establish product claims and benefits.

Product Safety Is Mary Kay Inc.’s Highest Priority.
Because impartial evaluation of products is vital, Mary Kay Inc. conducts clinical testing in independent laboratories where volunteers use Mary Kay^® products under strict supervision and evaluation by independent board-certified dermatologists and ophthalmologists.

Clinical Efficacy Testing
Helps support and create product claims used in advertising that help consumers determine and compare the effectiveness of a product, such as “85% saw improvement in skin texture” and “73% saw a reduction in fine lines.” Tests are conducted by board-certified dermatologists for expert grading of clinical participants.

Clinical Safety Testing
Evaluates Mary Kay^® products among consumers to determine their irritation and allergy potential. These studies are conducted to ensure product safety and to provide consumers with relevant product information, such as whether a product is “suitable for sensitive skin and sensitive eyes,” “safe for contact lens wearers” and “non-comedogenic.”

Consumer Testing
Mary Kay Inc. listens to what women want. As part of the Company’s ongoing commitment to ensure that Mary Kay^® products consistently meet or exceed consumer expectations, every year thousands of women use and evaluate Mary Kay^® products worldwide, under the direction of consumer science experts, to help the Company better understand the benefits women want from the products they use. Consumer testing also helps determine how Mary Kay^® products are viewed by consumers through home use studies, central location tests and qualitative focus groups and interviews. These studies help determine how new products work with current products and provide useful insight into how people use a product, how often they use it and what results or improvements they’d like to see.