With Mother’s Day approaching, many women are shopping the Mother’s Day sales at retailers grabbing deals on popular cosmetics. Cosmetic gift sets are a hot item to give Mom on her special day. One of the more popular cosmetic lines are mineral-based foundations, either liquid or powder. Many opt for the powder version for that light and natural look and feel. That natural “glow” and light feel is the result of a common ingredient in many mineral cosmetics known as bismuth oxychloride. Consumers have been drawn to its “pearlizing” and “shimmery luster” marketed to decrease visible fine lines and/or skin discoloration.
Bismuth oxychloride is a “natural” ingredient found in many mineral cosmetics. Though sold as a “natural” and beneficial ingredient, bismuth oxychloride is actually an inorganic by-product of copper and lead refinement. Bismuth oxychloride can often cause itching, rashes, and mild to severe cystic acne. This is extremely unfortunate, since many of the products are directed toward those who have sensitive skin. For some, the slight abrasive nature of this ingredient in their makeup can cause rosacea and acne to flare up. Others experience minuscule abrasions within the pores that become infected pustules. 
On the other hand, mineral cosmetics offer the benefits of leaving out other potential irritants such as preservatives, parabens, mineral oil, chemical dyes, and fragrance. For many women, trial and error is a large part of the process when selecting the cosmetic products that work best for their skin type.
Many mineral cosmetics manufacturers are looking to reduce the use of bismuth oxychloride in their products with some manufacturers looking for alternative ingredients with the same esthetic benefits without the skin irritation side effects. Beauty is in the eye of the new and improved mineral cosmetics product holder!
Contract Laboratory, Inc. has helped many manufacturers and distributors of Cosmetics products outsource their product testing. Below are examples of how we have helped:
- US Consumer Products Laboratory needed for Consumer Products Testing: Cumulative Irritation Test, Repeated Insult Patch Test for All Natural Laundry Soap. Simple group testing method needed for irritation to human skin.
- Cosmetics analytical chemistry laboratory needed for formulation development testing and stability testing of cosmetics skin care face pack that would have a shelf life of at least 30 days and it could be in a lotion/cream form or a kit form where things get mixed in based on the customer requirements.
- India cosmetics laboratory needed for skincare.
- Consumer Products Laboratory needed for consumer products panel study testing for anti-aging serum for face and eyes.
- Cosmetics Manufacturer needs cosmetics chemistry laboratory for cosmetics testing of body, face, hair creams and skin care products. Ingredient and stability testing for ingredient analysis and expiration dates for the products.
- Canada cosmetics laboratory needed for cosmetics formulation testing for a cosmetics laboratory that can create a variety of bio-cosmetics products from cream to shampoo.
- India analytical chemistry laboratory needed for HPLC analysis of optical brightener: Mobile phase : n-hexane:ethyl acetate =90:10 2 Wavelength: 365nm 3 Separation column: silica gel column CLC-SIL 150X4.6mm 5um 4 Detactor.
- Cosmetics Analytical Chemistry Laboratory needed for formulation testing of new cosmetics skin cream including microbiology bacteria testing and chemistry viscosity testing.
- Consumer Products Laboratory needed for Stability Testing for Shelf-Life, Expiration Dating and Microbiology Testing of 24 products. Blends of sunflower oil and essential oils, and blends of witch hazel, aloe, water, botanical extracts, and essential oils.
If your company is manufacturing or distributing a Cosmetic product and you need skin irritant testing, or other ingredient testing and validation, SUBMIT LABORATORY TEST REQUEST or call 1-855-377-6821 Toll-Free 24/7.
The Contract Laboratory Business Development Team will be happy to help!
