Olfactory testing in cosmetics and perfumery : why cabinet ventilation is a decisive criterion

In cosmetics and perfumery, a poorly isolated sensory test is a test to redo. Parasitic odours (from participants, the room, or products evaluated in sequence) alter perception and skew results. For any protocol involving fragrances, olfactory raw materials, or cosmetic products with a strong odour component, the question of cabinet ventilation is not a technical detail : it is a prerequisite.

This is precisely what sets the Full Lab range from The Lab in the Bag® apart : its individual mechanical controlled ventilation (MCV) system ensures continuous air renewal at each station, independently of the other cabinets and the surrounding environment.

Why ventilation changes everything in an olfactory test

The nose is an extremely sensitive instrument, and it saturates quickly. Without air renewal, several phenomena disrupt evaluation :

•       Olfactory adaptation : after a few seconds of exposure to an odour, perception dulls. Without air extraction, the participant is no longer evaluating the product : they are evaluating what they have left to perceive.

•       Cross-contamination : in a panel room without isolation, the odours of one participant affect the evaluations of others. This alone can invalidate formula or concentration comparisons.

•       Residual accumulation : between two evaluations, unrenewed air retains traces of the previous molecule, invisible but detected by participants' noses.

These phenomena are well documented in sensory science. They can only be eliminated with active air renewal at each evaluation station.

The mechanical controlled ventilation of the Full Lab

The Full Lab is the reference cabinet in The Lab in the Bag® range for protocols requiring strict olfactory isolation. Each cabinet is equipped with a powerful individual MCV system that continuously draws in and renews air at station level, independently of adjacent cabinets.

This system guarantees:

•       Clean air for each participant, with no residual accumulation between products.

•       Effective isolation from the odours of other stations, even in multi-cabinet configurations.

•       Reproducible conditions from one session to the next, from one site to another.

The Full Lab is available in 5 formats (Classic, Stand Up, Head In, Large, XXLarge) to suit space, height, and participant profile constraints. It assembles in 6 minutes and moves seamlessly from fixed installation to field deployment without any modification.

Which sectors and protocols are affected?

MCV is essential whenever the product being tested releases a significant odour, or whenever olfactory evaluation is a criterion, even secondary. In practice, this covers a large proportion of tests in:

•       Perfumery and flavours : juice evaluation, sniff tests on strips, concentration comparisons, raw material selection.

•       Cosmetics : creams, lotions, body milks, hair products, as soon as a top, heart, or base note enters the evaluation criteria.

•       Food and beverage : organoleptic evaluation, quality control on high-aroma products, tests on sauces, cheeses, coffees, wines.

•       Detergents and cleaning products : evaluation of freshness note, persistence, and olfactory pleasantness.

Full Lab fixed or mobile: both are possible

One of the Full Lab’s key strengths is combining sensory rigour with mobility. Unlike fixed laboratory equipment, The Lab in the Bag® cabinets are designed to be transported and assembled quickly on any site.

For teams working both in R&D laboratories and in the field (at distribution clients, production sites, or training centres), the Full Lab delivers the same evaluation conditions regardless of location.

Cabinets assemble in rows to form a multi-station panel, and disassemble in minutes for transport. The protocol remains identical, whatever the site.

Key takeaways

For any test involving odorous products, cabinet ventilation is not an added comfort : it is the condition for valid results. Without active air renewal, the data collected reflects the environment as much as the product being evaluated.

The Full Lab range from The Lab in the Bag® was designed to meet this requirement, with an individual MCV system integrated into a mobile, modular cabinet available in several formats. To refine the choice of model according to your protocol and configuration, contact us.