Brief account on skin and hair products

1. QUALITY CONTROL TEST FOR COSMETICS
NAME: B.Ravi Shankar (M.Pharmacy)
SUBJECT: Pharmaceutical and cosmetic analysis
Acharya & BM Reddy College of Pharmacy 1

2. SKIN CARE PRODUCTS
• They are used as cleansing, moisturizing and beautifying
agents. They help in enhancing attractiveness of the
body, altering the appearance of the body without
affecting its functions.
• Sunscreen products are also skin care products which
are helpful in protecting the body from U.V rays and
treating sunburns.
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3. CLASSIFICATION OF SKIN CARE PRODUCTS
Powders &compacts
Face powder
Lipstick
Body powder
Rouges
Prickly heat powder
Face pack
Creams Lotions
Vanishing cream Skin lotion
Cold cream Astringent
All purpose cream Lotions
Colorants
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4. EVALUATION OF POWDERS
1.Shade test: The variation of colour is determined and controlled.
2.Colour-dispersion test: In this with help of magnifying glass
segregation or bleeding of colour is observed.
3.Play off test: In this test adhesion property of powder with the
puff is checked.
4.Flow property test: It is measured by the angle of repose
mainly for the body powder.
5.Particle size determination: It is done with the help of
microscope and sieve analyser.
6.Moisture content test: In this % moisture content is estimated
by using the formula
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5. EVALUATION OF CREAMS
The evaluation of creams is carried out by two methods:
a. In vitro method
b. In vivo method
In vitro method
Tensile strength tester: For determining the tensile property of
the excised stratum corneum of the skin.
Haegans gas bearing electro dynamometer: It is helpful in
determining the viscoelastic behaviour of skin.
Gravimetry analytical method: Helps in establishing
relationship between water content present in stratum corneum and
relative humidity.
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6. Thermal analytical method: Various methods like DSC, TMA,
TGA are used in order to provide information about the effect of
temperature which causes changes in stratum corneum.
In Vivo Method
Transpirometry: Helps in measuring trans epidermal water loss of
the skin which helps in providing information on moisturizing
potential.
Scanning electron microscope: Skin replicas are used in this
method to know that effect of topical preparations on the skin
condition i.e dry and rough skin.
Sensitivity test: These tests are performed in order to measure the
irritancy sensitization potential & photo toxicity of skin.
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7. EVALUATION OF LOTIONS
1.Spectrophotometric evaluation: To evaluate the U.V
absorption ability of sunscreen lotion compounds.
2.Erythemal dosage: To determine the erythemally effective
radiation , transmitted by suntan preparations.
3.In vivo skin testing: This is a direct test on animal skin
particularly rabbit, the site used is either abdomen or backside as
these sites have minimum sensitivity.
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8. EVALUATION OF ROUGES
1.Melting point: It is determined by capillary method.
2.Colour dispersion test: It is checked under microscope and no
particle above 50μ should be there.
3.Aging stability: In this product is kept at over 400 for a one
month period noting the changes & comparing with fresh product.
4.Container compatibility: Compatibility of the product with
plastic has to be checked.
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9. HAIR CARE PRODUCTS
These includes:
•Hair cleansing preparations
•Hair tonics
•Hair colorants
•Hair grooming aids
•Hair wavers, curlers, straightners
•Hair removers
•Shaving preparations
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10. EVALUATION OF SHAMPOOS
Shampoos before releasing into the market, must be tested for their
safety on application to the eyes, skin. General tests for identification
of ingredients and quantity of each ingredient should be carried out
by proper analysis. Some of the test include:
1.Various physical properties & performance characteristics are
studied these are foam formation and foam stability , rheology of the
products, nature of the foam, effect of the shampoo on the hair & its
characters.
2. Performance and character of the foam are be studied by stirring
the foam in a specially designed devices, and by adding selected oil
such as lanolin, mineral oil, vegetable oil, diet to foam and studying
their effect.
3. Effect on the hair can be studied by half head technique. Where
half of the hair is shampooed, other half is used as control, comparing
the two parts by observation and by combing and other process. 10

11. 4. Effect on skin & eyes: This can be done by applying it on the
animal skin and observing the irritation effects.
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12. EVALUATION OF HAIR TONICS
These products are evaluated for the contents estimation and their
identification, also some other tests are required which are to be
done according to purpose.
1. Antiseptic property: This can be done by in-vitro anti
microbiological test against some specific organism using liquid
& solid medium.
2. Stability test: Stability of products and the ingredients must be
studied, particularly that deals with effects of heat & light etc. It
is well known that most of the phenolic materials will discolour
on exposure to light & thus make fair hair, dark particularly in
the presence of traces of alkali or soap.
3. Sensitivity test: Some of the ingredients like antiseptics may
cause irritation, sensitization or photosensitization of the skin. So
these should be tested and can be done by patch test, either open
or occlusive test. 12

13. EVALUATION OF HAIR REMOVERS
As chemicals used for hair removers can be toxic, it is necessary to
perform toxicity test along with other test including identification of
ingredients and estimating their quantity.
1. Estimation of hair removing agents: As high concentration of
the chemical hair removers may be dangerous, it is necessary to
remove the quantity. It can be done by any instrumental chemical
analysis.
2. Toxicity test: The test can be done on animal. For this purpose
rabbit can be used . Preparation can be applied for hair removal and
the effect on the skin can be studied by observation or by
microscopic study.
3. Stability: Stability of product is very important . This is done by
any normal stability study or accelerated stability study at higher
temperature.
4. Rheology: Rheology of the preparation can be studied by using
any suitable viscometer. 13

14. EVALUATION OF HAIR COLORANTS
As hair colorants can cause sensitization of skin or can produce toxic
effects, it is imperative to do tests for them, apart from normal quantity
test for ingredients and their quantity.
1. Sensitization test: This can be done on the animal skin by
applying dye stuff or the preparations and observing the effect on
the skin. It is necessary , histopathological study of the related
tissues or cells can be done when applied.
2. Long term toxic effect: This is also necessary to evaluate the long
term effect. This can be done on animal.
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15. EVALUATION OF HAIR GROOMING AIDS
1. Stability of the ingredients: This is done by normal stability
study, of the active ingredient at room temperature or by accelerated
study.
2. Physical stability: This is particularly important for emulsion type
preparations to evaluate the stability of the emulsion creams. This can
be done by accelerated test by exposing the preparation alternatively to
heat and cold.
3. Rheology: Studied by using viscometer to measure the viscosity &
effect of storage on it.
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16. EVALUATION OF HAIR WAIVERS, CURLERS AND
STRAIGHTNERS
It is necessary to measure the quantity of chemical agents present in
the preparations, as use of higher concentration is toxic and is not
permitted by several countries.
1. Toxic or side effect: Several tests are required to evaluate the
toxic effects, the effects can be scalp irritation, incompatibility due
to cross sensitization leading to dermatitis. This can be done on
animal or by patch test.
2. Stability test: To test the stability and usefulness of the product
during shelf-life or when several ingredients are present. This can
be done by normal stability test or by accelerated stability study.
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17. REFERENCES:
1. Identification & quality control of cosmetic products by PP.
Sharma.
2. INTERNET
3. Industrial pharmacy by Lachman
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