This document defines a global approach for the validation of a quantitative analytical method, based on the construction and interpretation of an accuracy profile, and specifies its characterization procedure.

This procedure is particularly applicable for internal validation in a cosmetic testing laboratory, but its scope can be extended to the interpretation of data collected for an interlaboratory study designed according to the recommendations of the ISO 5725‑1. It does not apply to microbiological trials. The present approach is particularly suited to handle the wide diversity of matrices in cosmetics. This document only applies to already fully-developed and finalized methods for which selectivity/specificity have already been studied and the scope of the method to be validated has already been defined, in terms of matrix types and measurand (for example analyte) concentrations.