One common science fair experiment tests the moisturizing property of different brands of skin lotion. The experiment involves putting 10 mL of water into a baby food jar and using rubber cement to seal a piece of qualitative filter paper over the top. Different lotions are applied to the filter paper and the jars are allowed to sit for 12 hours. Visual measurements are taken every two hours, but after 12 hours the seals are removed and the water is measured again. The jar with the most water will have had the most moisturizing cream sealing it.
There are hundreds of types of skin care lotions available. Some are organic and others are not. One common experiment involves testing the effectiveness of organic versus inorganic skin lotions. The student purchases two organic and two inorganic lotions. The student then recruits six test subjects with dry skin to be part of the experiment. Participants are each given instructions for when and how to wash their hands, how long the hands can be exposed to sunlight and how often they are to apply the lotions. One subject will not use any lotion. The other subjects put the organic on one hand and the inorganic on the other. Photos are taken each day to record changes. Subject testimony is also collected and the results will reveal which lotion is the most effective.
Another science fair project involving skin lotion is focused on how lotion is absorbed by different types of skin. This experiment requires the student to recruit volunteers of different ages. One age group should act as the control group. The rest are given the same amount of the same type of lotion on the same area of their body, usually the back of the hand. The lotion on each subject should be checked every few minutes until completely absorbed by the skin.
Moisturizing skin lotions aren't the only type of skin lotions available. There are a number of sanitizing skin lotions on the market. This experiment involves having different test subjects wash their hands with soap and water and then applying a different hand sanitizer after each washing. A bacterial swab is taken after each application and applied to an agar plate and given to a local hospital to incubate for 48 hours. The plates are compared to see which had the most bacterial growth. This will reveal which antibacterial skin lotion is the most effective.