Cosmetic Process Optimisation: Dual-Engine Multivariate Analysis (MANOVA)
An industrial data analytics project that evaluates the multi-variable quality profile of a cosmetic emulsion formulation using an interactive Excel process dashboard alongside a Python-driven Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) statistical engine.
In cosmetic manufacturing, altering process parameters typically impacts multiple physical properties simultaneously. This project simulates and analyses 120 production batches of a hair cream formulation to determine how variations in formula ingredients and processing temperatures interact to affect the final product's physical vector space.
Independent Variables (Factors)
- Formula Type: Standard, Organic Polymer, Surfactant Boosted
- Mixing Temperature: Low (35°C) vs. High (60°C)
Dependent Variables (Quality Metrics)
- Viscosity (cP): Emulsion thickness (Target: 2000–3500 cP)
- pH: Skin safety and compatibility (Target: 6.0–7.0)
- Stability (Days): Product shelf life before phase separation (Target: > 10 days)
📊 Dual-Engine Methodology
1. Excel Interactive Dashboard
- Cross-Tabulation: Built structured Pivot Tables to isolate and compute multivariate averages for every combination of formula and temperature treatment.
- Dynamic Control: Integrated interactive Slicers to allow plant operators and quality control managers to dynamically filter and inspect chemical batch traits on the fly.
- Exploratory Insights: Visually identified a stark, universal drop in product shelf life (Stability_Days) when batches were exposed to high thermal mixing configurations.
2. Python Statistical Engine (statsmodels & seaborn)
-
Type I Error Protection: Utilizing a multivariate approach (MANOVA) instead of running isolated ANOVAs protected the experiment against alpha inflation ($1 - 0.95^3 \approx 14.3%$ false-positive risk).
-
Data Visualization: Generated paired subplots featuring 95% Confidence Interval error bars to visually map data distribution variance and overlap metrics.
-
Mathematical Validation: Executed a two-way MANOVA to mathematically prove the standalone significance of process factors and map interaction boundaries.
📈 Key Statistical Findings
The Python MANOVA script generated the following multivariate outputs based on Wilks' Lambda ($\Lambda$):
| Process Factor |
Wilks' Lambda ($\Lambda$) |
P-Value (Pr > F) |
Industrial Significance |
| Formula Type |
0.0896 |
< 0.001 |
🔴 Highly Significant standalone effect |
| Mixing Temperature |
0.5768 |
< 0.001 |
🔴 Highly Significant standalone effect |
| Formula × Temperature |
0.9498 |
0.4432 |
🟢 Non-Significant Interaction |
-
The Interaction is Not Significant ($P = 0.443$): This mathematically confirms that temperature variations affect all three formulation matrices uniformly. There are no volatile, specific chemical interactions unique to a single pairing.
-
Thermal Degradation: Combining the non-significant interaction with the visual confidence intervals proves that high heat consistently degrades emulsion stability across the board.
-
Actionable Recommendation: To maximize shelf life without sacrificing viscosity metrics, the production line should prioritize Low-Temperature (35°C) mixing profiles, specifically utilizing the Organic Polymer baseline for optimal long-term batch stability.
💻 Tech Stack & Libraries Used
- Spreadsheet Architecture: Microsoft Excel (Pivot Tables, Advanced Filtering, Slicers, Custom Layouts)
- Language Engine: Python 3.x
- Data Manipulation: pandas
- Statistical Modeling: statsmodels.multivariate.manova
- Data Visualization: seaborn, matplotlib
├── cosmetic_process_optimisation.csv # Raw experimental dataset (120 batches)
├── cosmetics_process_optimisation.csv.xlsx # Excel file with Pivot Tables and Slicers
├── manova_engine.py # Python statistical testing pipeline
├── process_optimization_plots.png # Generated interaction bar charts
└── README.md # Project documentation