MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION OF COSMETICS AND PERSONAL CARE ITEMS IN EGYPT—EYE SHADOWS, MASCARAS AND FACE CREAMS

Abstract

We examined a total of 150 samples, including 27 eye shadows, 27 mascaras and 96 face creams, for their microbial contents. Mascaras were generally more contaminated than eye shadows. More than 75% of the examined eye shadows contained fewer than 100 c.f.u./g aerobic bacterial count compared to 63% of the mascaras examined. Viable bacteria were not recovered from 61% and 48% of the eye shadows and mascaras respectively. While 4% of the eye shadows were heavily contaminated (contained more than 104 c.f.u./g), 15% of the mascaras were as heavily contaminated (with more than 104 c.f.u./ml of bacteria). Face creams were generally more heavily contaminated than eye shadows and mascaras. More then 70% of the examined creams contained more than 100 c.f.u./g of bacteria compared to 23% and 37% of eye shadows and mascaras respectively. Only 5% of the face creams were heavily contaminated. However, 27% of the creams were contaminated with more than 103-104 c.f.u./g of bacteria compared to none in this range for both eye shadows and mascaras. Qualitative tests for detection of hazardous bacteria showed that none of the eye shadows were contaminated with any of those micro-organisms. Out of nine items of a specific brand of mascara, three isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, one isolate of Citrobacter freundii and one isolate of Klebsiella pneumonia were detected. Among the creams, two brands showed the highest contamination levels with more than 85% of the tested samples containing more than 103 c.f.u./g fungi and at least 104 c.f.u./g bacteria. Qualitative tests for the presence of hazardous bacteria showed that the number of Gram-positive cocci was twice the number of isolated hazardous Gram-negative bacteria. Staphylococcus epidermis was isolated from six samples while Micrococcus sp. from four samples. For Gram-negatives, Enterobacter agglomerans was isolated from three samples, while C. freundii was isolated from two samples and E. colt from one sample. With regard to fungal contamination for all examined samples, most of the fungal contaminants were filamentous moulds, 54 items were contaminated with filamentous fungi out of the 150 examined items, while seven items only were contaminated with yeast. Face creams were much more contaminated with fungi than were eye shadows and mascaras.