In the thesis, the inorganic compounds of 50 randomly selected liquid cosmetic products from the Slovenian market were studied. The aim was to identify the most often used ingredients and their purposes in cosmetic products. Five inorganic compounds that were chosen at random were given a safety evaluation or toxicological profile. These components include titanium dioxide, aluminum hydroxide, iron oxides, silica and talc.
The selected products were grouped into different categories of cosmetic products (decorative cosmetics, facial care and cleansing, eyelash and eyebrow care, hand cleansing, antiperspirants, sunscreens, oral care and cleansing, and hair care). The maximum number of inorganic substances in a product is 17, the minimum number is 2. A product was eliminated from the set if it only contained one inorganic component. Upon closer inspection, we found that the product range included 41 inorganic chemicals. Water was the most prevalent inorganic ingredient of cosmetic products (in 41 cosmetic products, which is 82 % of all chosen products), used as a solvent or in the manufacturing process, and is not included in the thesis. It is followed by titanium dioxide, which appears in 15 cosmetic products, disteardimonium hectorite in 13, iron oxides and hydroxides in 12, disodium edetate in 11, and sodium chloride in 10. With the help of the CosIng database, we distributed all inorganic substances into groups according to their functions. Several inorganic compounds may have multiple roles, thus we attempted to incorporate them in groups according to their primary purpose. We also assessed the toxicological profile and safety evaluation for five inorganic compounds. Our selection of ingredients was arbitrary and has nothing to do with how frequently they appear in the selected cosmetic products. Titanium dioxide was found in 15 cosmetic products (30 % of all chosen products), aluminium chlorohydrate in 3 (6 %), iron oxides in 12 (24 %), silica in 8 (16 %), talc in 2 (4 %).
In our overall review of inorganic ingredients, we have observed that when used at recommended dosages and applied on intact skin, they demonstrate non-toxic properties in cosmetic products. It should be noted that the regulatory restrictions may vary depending on whether the substances are utilized in cosmetic products intended for use on children or around the eyes and mucous membranes.
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