A new method for an objective assessment of the gloss of human skill i
s presented. The reflectometric measuring set-up complies with DIN 675
30. The principle of this new method is based on a contactless determi
nation of the skin's reflection of light from a tungsten filament lamp
, recorded at an angle of 60 degrees by a silicon photocell. In a comp
arative study with 30 test persons it was discovered that the forehead
, with 2.70 standardised reflectometer units (RU; SD +/- 0.59 RU), dis
played a significantly higher gloss than the lower arm (1.99 RU, SD 0.
28 RU, p < 0.0001). In an investigation into the influence of four dif
ferent cream bases on the skill gloss ii could be determined that the
value depends on the percentage of grease, the water concentration and
the consistency of the respective base. The method presented permits
a fast, contactless, randomly repeatable objective assessment of skin
gloss. Since the acceptance of cosmetics and pharmaceutical products d
epends not least on their skin gloss effect, this method can provide v
aluable information when estimating the success of old and new product
s.