Beauty and the brain: Neuroscientists use MRI scanners to substantiate cosmetics claims

Beauty brands increasingly claim their solutions positively affect the brain as the neurocosmetic trend gathers pace. However, some of these marketing claims are made without scientific evidence, causing skepticism in consumers. At In-cosmetics Global 2025, Brain Impact demonstrated how it uses MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scanners to provide companies with scientifically backed data to support their brain-boosting claims.

“There is more and more controversy about the effectiveness of some claims, and people are challenging that. The cosmetic industry needs more proof, neuro proof, scientific proof, to be sure that there is no contestation, that there is no fight against the benefits they want to claim,” Arnaud Petre, founder and neurostrategist at Brain Impact, tells Personal Care Insights on the trade show floor. 

The Belgian-based company studies brain activity to help validate product claims, helping brands avoid unfounded claims and instill consumer confidence.

“If you have a brain proof, it is the purest thing — the most effective way to prove something is to see what is in the brain. A declarative questionnaire is very variable, it’s a proof, but it can be challenged,” says Petre.

Petre gives the example of a consumer contesting a brand’s claim that its shampoo is “energizing.” Brain Impact uses MRI scanners to analyze brain activity and see if the places in the brain that indicate energy light up after using such a product.

“If you have a fight against a client or a consumer saying, ‘is there proof that it energizes you?’ — you can prove that in the brain. If you see that the motor cortex is more activated, then it is a sign that there is more motor skill and motor activity in your brain, and that it is energizing you.”

Brain-cosmetics connection 

The neuroscience company operates on the basis that consumer behavior and product purchasing preferences involve conscious and unconscious processes. 

MRI scans show results to back cosmetics claims.Brain Impact has an exclusive and broad decoding scope that relies on evaluating declarative aspects, sensory involvement, and psychological states that are consciously involved in human decisions. It also evaluates unconscious “decision markers” such as memorizing, call to action, compulsive desire, seduction, and self-esteem.

The company’s mission is to understand the effects of cosmetics and cosmetics ingredients on the brain. Its technology helps beauty companies validate their products’ claims, which can be used to boost product marketing.

Providing the data 

People are put into an MRI machine after using products such as fragrances, essential oils, and skin care.

“Then we watch what’s happening in the brain and correlate that with a well-known network in the brain. For example, if you want to prove that the product has well-being properties, we will see if the brain activity is similar to the one promoted by the well-being state that is well known in neuroscience.”

After the brain effects are observed, Brain Impact helps its clients produce scientific papers, create marketing claims, and advertise and communicate the product’s benefits.

“We help [our clients] to develop products, to choose the best candidate, which one is the most effective, and after that, we publish the results in scientific papers.”’

“We try to translate [cosmetic] benefits from the brain and not the declarative side. There is too much variation in declarative statements. We want to try to make something more pure, scientific, and easy to explain because the brain activity is easy to visualize.”