Cosmetic Registration of Face Wash and Cleansers

Do you know cosmetic registration of Face wash and cleansers are important. Face wash and cleansers are used on the most delicate area of the body, the face. There are highly severe safety tests that face washes and cleansers must pass to be registered as cosmetics. These tests make sure that the product is safe to use every day, doesn’t irritate, and is stable for the whole time it is on the shelf. The Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940 and the Rules of 1945 say that cosmetic safety testing is required in India. Before applying for cosmetic registration, all makers and importers must have these tests done at a lab that has been authorised by the government or the NABL.

Why It’s Important to Test Face Wash & Cleansers for Safety?

Before we look at the list, we need to know why these tests are necessary:

• The skin on your face is more sensitive than the skin on the rest of your body.
• Surfactants in cleansers might hurt the skin if they aren’t examined.
• Bacteria and fungi may readily sneak into things that are water-based.
• The skin barrier may be damaged by the wrong pH levels.
• Fragrances or preservatives that aren’t safe may trigger allergies.
• These considerations show why evaluating cosmetics for safety is so important.

Full List of Safety Tests Needed to Register Face Wash & Cleansers as Cosmetics. Here is a detailed description of each test that needs to be performed.

Testing for Physical and Chemical Properties

This test examines the fundamental chemical and physical properties of the face wash or cleanser.

It has:

• Look (colour, texture, smell)
• Viscosity
• The pH value
• Density
• How well it dissolves

These results help show that the product is safe to use and made correctly.

Testing the pH

Testing the pH of face wash and cleansers is very significant since the pH of the face is naturally between 4.5 and 6.5. It can do the following if the pH is too high or too low:

• Hurt the skin barrier
• Make things dry
• Cause irritation

This test ensures that the product is safe for the skin.

Testing for Microbes

Face wash and cleansers are made using water, which makes them more likely to develop germs and fungus. Microbial contamination may hurt the skin and lead to diseases. This exam looks at:

• Total number of bacteria
• Number of yeast and mould
• Pathogens (E. coli, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus)

You can only register things that don’t have hazardous bacteria in them.

Testing for Heavy Metals

Some of the metals in face wash might be bad for your health. Heavy metal testing ensures that the product is safe to use.

This exam looks at:

• Lead
• Arsenic
• Mercury
• Cadmium
• Chromium

The product can’t be registered if any metal is beyond the limit set.

Test for the Effectiveness of Preservatives (PET)

Water and natural substances are common in face wash and cleansers. To keep the product safe, preservatives are required. This test proves:

• If the preservative is powerful enough
• If the product can proliferate microorganisms over time
• The product doesn’t pass the test if the preservative isn’t strong enough.

Testing for Stability

Stability testing ensures that the product is safe and works well for the whole time it is on the shelf.

It looks at:

• How products act at various temperatures
• Changes in colour and texture
• Stability of the scent
• Stability of microbes
• Compatibility of packaging

This test also helps find out when something will expire.

Test for skin irritation and sensitisation (not on animals)

India does not let cosmetics companies test on animals. So, ways that don’t need animals, like:

• The Human Repeat Insult Patch Test (HRIPT)
• Test for skin irritation in vitro
• Test of dermal tolerance
• These tests see whether the face wash or cleanser makes
• Redness
• Burning
• Allergy
• Sensitivity

You can’t register a product that makes skin itch.

Review of Safety and Toxicology of Ingredients

All of the ingredients needed to make it must meet:

• BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) rules for safe cosmetics
• Lists of things that are not allowed
• Lists of ingredients that are not allowed

This review makes sure that:

• There are no chemicals that are bad for you.
• No component goes beyond the maximum limit.
• Colours and scents are safe.

Who Does These Tests?

You can only do the following:

• Labs that are NABL-accredited
• Cosmetic testing labs that the government has authorised

These laboratories provide the official test report that is needed to register cosmetics.

How long does it take to do safety tests?

It usually takes 2 to 4 weeks, depending on:

• How many tests
• What kind of product
• Workload in the lab

What Happens if a Face Wash Fails Any Test?

If a product doesn’t work:

• The formula needs to be fixed.
• Tests must be repeated

You can’t submit a registration application till the product passes.

In the end

Face washes and cleansers must pass safety tests before they can be registered as cosmetics. These tests ensure that the product is safe, won’t irritate the skin, works, and stays stable. These tests cover everything from pH value to toxicity. The CDSCO won’t let the product be registered in India until it has been tested properly.