QUALITY CONTROL OF RAW MATERIALS USED IN COSMETICS

Cosmetics, like any product containing water and organic/inorganic compounds, require preservation against microbial contamination to guarantee consumer's safety and to increase their shelf-life.The microbiological safety has as main goal of consumer protection against potentially pathogenic microorganisms, together with the product's preservation resulting from biological and physicochemical deterioration.This is ensured by chemical, physical, or physicochemical strategies.The most popular tactic relies on the use of antimicrobial agents, which can be obtained from synthetic, natural, or even multipurpose materials.Good manufacturing procedures (GMPs), raw material management, and appropriate methodologies, such as the challenge test, are currently followed in the evaluation of the preservation system to verify its preservative effect.Although they are poisonous to consumers, using them at high quantities is actually more beneficial from a preservation standpoint, as using them at low doses can lead to the development of microbial resistance.