(From left to right: Mao Guangru, Director of Chinese American Cosmetic Professional Association; Du Min, Co-founder of CHAILEEDO; Cai Zhaoyang, Co-founder of CHAILEEDO; Eleanor Lehman, Director of Outreach, TRI; Paul Cornwell, Director of Business, TRI; Li Huihua, Co-founder of CHAILEEDO; and Hao Zhigang, President of China-U.S. Cosmetic Professionals Association)
When mentioning Princeton University, apart from its prestigious reputation as the top-ranked higher education institution in the United States, many people may also associate it with Albert Einstein, the renowned physicist who spent the latter part of his life there and is considered one of the greatest physicists of the 20th century. Adjacent to Princeton University, nestled quietly by Lake Carnegie, stands a sturdy villa built with cement over a century ago. This villa is home to TRI-Princeton, a world-class hair research and testing institution.
When our team, CHAILEEDO’s US Beauty Tour entered TRI, they were not only touched by the tranquility of the passing years but also amazed by the profound expertise of TRI in the field of fundamental hair research and testing, despite being a non-profit organization that has remained relatively low-profile for nearly a century.
“The Only” in Hair Basic Research
It is well known that the symbol of the first industrial revolution was the invention of the steam engine and the spinning jenny by the British. The tremendous progress brought about by the technological revolution greatly promoted the development of the local textile industry. In the early 19th century, textiles became the most important export commodity in Britain.
With the influence of the industrial revolution, the United States, which had mastered the most advanced textile technology at the time, began to rise in the early 20th century. TRI originated in the 1930s, during a period of great prosperity in the American textile industry. At that time, the President of the United States, Herbert Hoover, established TRI to promote the development of the American textile industry. Therefore, in the early days, TRI mainly engaged in the testing of textile products and fibers.
In fact, TRI’s early mission is evident from its English name. TRI stands for Textile Research Institute.
Speaking of this history, Paul Cornwell, the Director of Business at TRI, who was interviewed by the CHAILEEDO’s US Beauty Tour, expressed deep emotions. He not only showed President Hoover’s autograph and pen on the spot but also remarked, “Due to the low production costs in Asian countries, the global textile manufacturing industry began to gradually shift to countries like Japan and China. The American textile industry was in decline. In order to keep the employees and technology in circulation, TRI started researching hair fibers, which have many similarities with textile fibers, from the 1950s and gradually expanded its business to consumer goods such as skincare, nails, lipstick, and hair dryers.”
However, he proudly told CHAILEEDO, “We should be the only company in the world currently conducting fundamental research on hair.” He emphasized that TRI is not a hair and skin testing organization but a research-oriented institution.
It is understood that TRI currently has more than 20 scientists from various fields such as pharmaceuticals, biology, chemistry, and chemical engineering. For example, Paul Cornwell, who received the interview from CHAILEEDO, earned his Doctorate in Pharmaceutical Technology in 1993 and has over 23 years of work experience at Unilever and British consumer goods company PZ Cussons. He is proficient in product evaluation, instrument measurement technology, and formulation design. He joined TRI in 2017.
According to him, the biggest difference of TRI lies in its independence. He said, “From 1930 until now, TRI has always been an independent non-profit organization, but we have 30 members and cooperate with globally renowned companies such as Procter & Gamble, L’Oréal, Unilever, and Kao.”
Hao Zhigang, the President of the American Cosmetics Professional Association and the Technical Director of Colgate, added to CHAILEEDO, “Generally speaking, in the United States, independence means no government intervention. It is not influenced by any government or external factors, including the media.”
Credibility is the foundation of a testing organization. “This is very important,” Paul Cornwell also emphasized. “Non-profit and independence are the biggest characteristics inherited by TRI in nearly 100 years. This way, the data we provide will not be interfered by other factors and can provide reliable and trustworthy data to the market.”
CHAILEEDO learned that TRI’s goal is to support industry development, mainly reflected in three aspects: research, education, and testing. Among them, research and testing business mainly target enterprises, association organizations, and other B-side groups, and research can be divided into independent research and cooperative research. In terms of education, Paul Cornwell showed CHAILEEDO an online “library” launched by TRI, which shares independent research results in a speech format similar to “Ted talks.” It uses language that is popular and understandable but doesn’t lose professionalism, providing research content for enterprises and the general public, such as the impact of different water qualities on hair quality.
Regarding some cooperative research, he mentioned, “If the research results are different from what the client wants, the client also has the right not to publish those results.”
When CHAILEEDO asked how TRI would handle testing reports if problems were found with a client’s product, Paul Cornwell told CHAILEEDO, “We only provide data to ensure the accuracy of the data.” Whether the results are beneficial or not for the company and how the company promotes them is not a concern for TRI. Moreover, when it comes to consumer disputes, the company is often the primary responsible party.
As emphasized by Paul Cornwell, TRI will clearly define the boundaries with companies, focus on its expertise in fundamental research and testing, and maintain its “independence.”
Give a man a fish and teach a man how to fish
Hair, as an important component in shaping one’s personal image, has been a matter of great importance throughout history. According to literature, over 4,000 years ago, ancient Egyptians learned the art of hair dyeing.
In modern times, many scientists have been enthusiastic about researching hair care and hair beauty. For example, in 1907, Eugène Schueller, the founder of L’Oréal Group and a chemist, invented the world’s first non-toxic synthetic hair dye. In 1927, German pharmacist Hans Schwarzkopf invented the world’s first liquid shampoo.
Today, hair care has become a significant branch of the personal care industry. According to Grand View Research, the global hair and scalp care market is predicted to approach a trillion-dollar scale in five years, with a compound annual growth rate of 6.6% from 2021 to 2028.
On the other hand, the scarcity of institutions specializing in fundamental hair research is another aspect of the vast market demand. This is why TRI, with over 70 years of expertise in hair research, has highly valuable research achievements and testing methods for the industry.
According to Paul Cornwell, as early as 1955, TRI published a report revealing differences in protein and lipid content in hair among different races, which promoted hair research in the American industry.
It can be seen that an increasing number of international beauty companies now attach great importance to providing hair care formulas specifically designed for different ethnicities. This reflects the positive significance of fundamental research for applied research.
Furthermore, TRI has conducted extensive research on the effects of water quality, ultraviolet radiation on hair and scalp, and the principles of hair damage caused by high-temperature modes in hair dryers. For example, a speech published on the TRI website analyzes how water interacts with hair and affects the characteristics of hair fibers. It also mentions that, in addition to proteins and lipids, water is the third important component of hair, constituting approximately 10% of its weight under normal environmental temperature and humidity.
In terms of testing, TRI not only provides testing and detection services for companies and develops new testing methods for new ingredients but also establishes a set of industry-standard testing methods for various branches in the field of hair and skin. This aligns with TRI’s three major objectives: research, education, and testing.
Paul Cornwell gave two examples to CHAILEEDO. One is the research and testing of hair strength and hair breakage. According to the introduction, the testing methods established by TRI have become industry standards and are widely used by many companies. Another example is their application of spectroscopy to study the penetration of substances into the skin.
Different from the commercial operations of other cosmetics testing organizations, which often involve efficacy evaluations on human subjects, Paul Cornwell told CHAILEEDO that TRI’s strength lies in instrument testing and fundamental research, with minimal involvement in clinical trial aspects. “From a scientific perspective, what we do in the field of testing is testing science.”
It is understood that TRI’s foundational research on hair actually predates some globally renowned testing, inspection, or certification institutions such as SGS. Although the nature of being a non-profit organization limits TRI’s commercial expansion, its professionalism and leadership in the field of hair research and testing can still be felt. Its development history validates the Chinese saying, “Every profession produces its own top achiever.”
Technology is the ticket to the world, and the development of technology is a global consensus
Looking at the global cosmetics industry, the reason why European and American brands have been able to dominate the market for a long time, traversing economic cycles, is ultimately due to the emphasis on science by the entire society and industry, and the solid foundation of basic research.
When it comes to basic research, Paul Cornwell always appears very excited. He revealed to CHAILEEDO that the company is currently conducting proteinomics-related research, which has received support from six companies and will soon publish research results. “I think these new scientific technologies can help us better understand the skin, understand the hair, and also use these technologies to test the effectiveness of skincare and hair care products.”
He also mentioned that international companies such as L’Oréal and Unilever are particularly interested in the Chinese market and have conducted many tests related to Chinese hair and skin. Although TRI has not conducted much research on Chinese hair, he is very hopeful and looking forward to cooperating with Chinese universities or research institutions.
In addition, when discussing the commonalities of the cosmetics industry between China and the United States, everyone present unanimously agreed that perhaps the biggest problem lies in the huge gap between the market and scientific research.
Similar to the trend of “sulfate-free” in the hair care market in recent years, not only in China but also many consumers in the United States have shown aversion to sulfates, believing that sulfate surfactants have a greater irritation to the skin and may contain “potential carcinogen” dioxane residues, posing a threat to health.
It is understood that for decades, sulfate surfactants have been the main ingredient in most shampoos and liquid cleansers. TRI has also attempted to explain the advantages and disadvantages of sulfate surfactants from the perspective of a neutral observer, as well as the strict scrutiny that alternative surfactant solutions may face. Paul Cornwell stated that there is currently not enough scientific evidence to prove the harm of sulfate surfactants.
From this, it can be seen that the task of bringing science to the market and being widely understood and recognized by consumers is a challenging one. Sometimes it may be misunderstood by the market, but sometimes market feedback can also drive technological progress. In general, the market and research and development cannot exist separately. When brands communicate, they should not only understand science but also respect science. “Knowing science, using science, and disseminating science” is also the proud mission of TRI.
Thank you to Chinese American Cosmetic Professional Association for your generous support of the column of CHAILEEDO’s US Beauty Tour!
