Synopsis A vast array of cosmetic products are used routinely by consumers to alleviate a range of skin care problems. Consumer concern ranges from age-associated skin changes to complexion (e.g., spots and pimples) and dryness. However, a major cause for concern amongst European female consumers is skin dryness, which spans all age ranges and skin types. Utilizing instrumental procedures (Squametry and Image Analysis) the severity of skin dryness has been correlated with expert assessment and consumer perception of dryness. The sensitivity of these techniques enables one to follow the progression of dryness alleviation for a range of product forms (e.g., creams and lotions) as well as the purported mechanism of action of various ingredient systems (e.g., occlusivity, moisturization). While conventional cosmetic products are shown to be effective, these techniques can be used to aid in the assessment and formulation of more effective products. Efficacité des produit cosmétiques à l'allégement d'un spectre d'états de peau sèche selon des measures cliniques et au moyen d'instruments.