Introdution

Cosmetic products are women's best friend and now are

getting popular among men. Cosmetic products are not
only important to make a person looks good but also to
boost one's self confidence.

Every day, we are introduced to new cosmetic products

from various local and imported brands. On top of that,
companies of famous cosmetic brands are constantly
launching new products which claimed to be better and
more effective than their previous products. Countless
testimonies and research results are published to support
the product's efficacies which are then used in the
advertisements to attract consumers to purchase. But, do
you know how safe is the product? Will it give harmful
effects to the consumers in long-term use? What makes
the product effective, is it due to the highly effective
ingredients in the product or the presence of adulterants?
 What is Adulterants ?
A cosmetic product is said to be adulterated when it found
to contain heavy metals such as mercury or substances
listed as Scheduled Poison such as hydroquinone,
tretinoin, antibiotics or steroids.

Adulterants are added to a cosmetic product to show that

the product is effective for its intended purpose. For
instance, hydroquinone is usually added to whitening
products for fairer complexion or to treat pigmentation
problems and tretinoin or antibiotics are commonly added
to products intended for acne treatment. Consequently,
consumers would get the desired effect faster and
continue buying the products. The companies who are
selling or manufacturing adulterated products are deemed
irresponsible as such products may cause undesirable
effects to the users.
The use of cosmetic products adulterated with mercury
can cause damage to the kidneys and nervous system. It
may also interfere with the brain development of unborn
and very young children. Furthermore, exposure to
mercury may also affect surrounding people especially
children as mercury can get into their bodies by inhaling
the mercury vapours. Infants and children can also
accidently ingest mercury when they touch the cosmetic
product containing mercury or their parents who have
used these products. Using products containing mercury
can also cause skin rashes, irritation and other undesirable
changes to the skin.
Cosmetic products adulterated with hydroquinone can
cause skin redness, discomfort, skin discoloration,
hypersensitivity and gradual blue-black darkening of the
skin. Hydroquinone inhibits the pigmentation process and
this process reduces the ability of the skin to protect our
body from harmful UV rays and excessive sunlight which
can increase the risk of skin cancer. Excessive
depigmentation is dangerous for those living in the
tropical region.
Some Examples :-
• Talc
• Diatomite (Kieselguhr)
• Kaolin
• Gelatin
• Bentonite
• Fullers Earth

♤ Talc

● Syn: French talc, Talcum, Soap stone, P.Talc

● B.s.: obtained from natural hydrated Mg Silicate.

● G.S.: France, New York. Italy, India

● Preparation:
H.Mg.Si. Is purified by boiling with dil.
HCI, decanting the liquid, washing the residue several
times with water & drying at 110°C.

● Description:
• Fine, white or greyish-white powder
• Odourless, tasteless
• Free from greety particles, greasy in
touch, adhare to skin.
• Insoluble in water, dil.acid & alkali

● How differ from MICA:

• It is a fine variety of steatite
occuring as massive mineral with peraly white lustre &
non-plastic.
• Standard: density: 2.2 to 2.8

● Chemical composition: Mg, (SiO)(OH)

● Chemical test:
•1) take 0.5g talc in crucible with Na,CO,
& K,CO, -----dissolve in 50 ml water, add HCl till
effervescence come--- add little acid---cool it-dry it-add
20 ml water, boil & filter.

• In filtrate add 2 g of NH,CI & 5 ml

NH,sol.
•2) Yield the reaction of Silicate

● Uses
• Filter aid,
• clarifying agent
• Lubricant
• Dusting powder
• Filler (in paper, paint & Varnish industry)

● Adulteration: flour
♤ Diatomite
(Kieselguhr)
● Syn: Diatomaceous earth, Kieselguhr Celite super-cel,
Industrial earth. B.S.: it is natural Diatomaceous earth
consist siliceous skeletons of fossils.

● Family: Bacillariceae

● G.S.: W. Germany, Denmark, Algeria, Kenya, U.S.A.,

Scotland, Ireland

● Preparation:
• Normally large blocks are mined which
contain 5- 10% moisture, than pulverized to fine powder.
Than Purified by treating with dil. HCl, washing with
water & drying.

● Description:
• Appearance: smooth, adheres to skin,
not slippery. Absorb moisture, not swell when mounted in
cresol.
• Color: brownish gray to white
• Odorless
• Tasteless
• Size & Shape: Diatoms vary in size 5-
100-500μ
• Shows 2 shape elongated & circular,
triangular (discoid)
• Chemical Composition:
Diatomite = 75-90% silica,
1.5% Cao, 1.5% MgO & 5% Iron Ixide.

● Use:
• Filter aid
 • Tooth powder
• Face powder
• Nail polish
• Filter candles

♤ Kaolin

● Syn: china clay, Kaolinum proderesum, porcelain clay,

Paper clay, white clay

● Purified native hydrated aluminum silicate free from

gritty particles.

● G.S.: US, UK, Germany, Brazil, England, France and

India.
● The different kaolin are as follows;
• Heavy kaolin- it is purified
hydrated aluminum silicate powdered so as to make free
from gritty particles by elutriation (is a process for
separating particles based on their size, shape and
density). Have particle size 60μ.
• Light kaolin- it is identical with
heavy kaolin, but is limited to certain particle size (10µ)
and contains suitable dispersing agent.
•Natural light kaolin- it is also a
native hydrated aluminium silicate free from gritty
particles, but it does not contain dispersing agent.

● Description:
• Color: white, sometime red, blue or
brown,
• Earthy, triclinic(crystals having 3 axes of
different length intersecting at oblique angles), duall
(prper arranged), white streak.
• Specific gravity: 2.16-2.68
• It contain 2µm sperical (some 10µm)
• Processed Kaolin: hydrous kaolin
 • Calcined kaolin: exposed at 450°C. or
>1000°C (with minerals millite, spinel & cristobalite)
• Crude Kaolin: Primary kaolin (chinaclay
rock & residual kaolin)
• Saprolite: formed from felsic igneous
(granite) & metamorphous rocks. (secondary kaolin-
sedimentory kaolin)
● Uses

1) Filtering medium - caustic alkali & bacterial

filters.
2)Heat resistant insulator, break lining, fire-
proof clothing & gloves.
3) Adsorbent by oral administration.
4) Treatment of enteritis (inflamation in small
intestine), colitis, dysentery and in alkaloidal and food
poisoning, anti-diarrhoeal.
5) Applied externally as a dusting powder and
also clarifying agent during filtration.
6) Light kaolin used in pharmaceutical
preparation.
 7) Heavy kaolin used in preparation of kaolin
poultice.
8) Used as an ingredient of toilet powder and a
base of disinfectant 3 powders.
9) Used as filter in paper, rubber, refractory,
ceramics, cement and fertilizer industries.
10) Used in anticaking preparations, cosmetics,
insecticides, paints and as source of alumina.

♤ Gelatin

● Syn: Gelfoam, Puregel, gelatium.

● Biological source- It is a product obtained by partial
hydrolysis of collagenous materials.
● G.S.: West Europe (39%), East Europe (2%), North
America (20%), Latine America (17%), 22% others.
● Perparation : It is derived by boiling animal tissues like
skin, tendons, ligaments and bones with water, skimming
and straining the resulting liquid, evaporating the solution
at low temperature after purification and drying in air.
(defatted with organic solvent & decalcified by tmt with
acid).

● 2 types of gelatin
• Type A: obtained from partial
hydrolysis of animal collagen.
• Type B: partial alkaline hydrolysis.

● Properties:
• Sheet gelatin cut in strip & made into granular
powder.
• Colorless, pale yellow, translucent & little odour
or taste.
• Insoluble in cold water, make jelly in hot water.
 • If long boiling then its power is reduceed.
• It is judge by "bloom strength" & "jelly strength".
• Isoelectric point range pH is 6.3-9.2 (A) & 4.7-
5.2 (B).
• Type B is compatible with anionic Sub. While
type A is not.

● Chemical Constituents
Gelatin chemically protein known as glutin.
On hydrolysis it yields non essential amino acids.

● Uses
• Thickener in jams, jellies, salads.
• Manufacturing capsules, suppositories, pastes.
• In cosmetic.
• Dietary supplement.
• Preparation of ice creams.
• In confectionary, preparation of candies, jellies,
meat extracts.
• Antidote for halogen poisoning.
• Preparation of nutrient media.
 • Substitute for blood plasma.
• I.V. injection.

● Chemical Test:
1) it evolves ammonia when heated with soda lime.
2) with mercury nitrite solution, gives white ppts.
Which turn brick-red on warming.
3) it gives a precipitate with a solution of
trinitrophenol.

● Adultrants: Isinglass (found from fish).

♤ Bentonite
● It is an absorbent aluminum phyllosilicate, generally
impure clay consist moutmorillonite.

● B.S.: weathering of volcanic Ash, in presence of water.

●G.S: Italy, Canada, South Africa & mid-West U.S.A.
(Benton fort).

● Calcium Bentonite " Fullar Earth's" • Type: K, Ca, Na,

Al & also called tonstein.

● Preparations:
• Found in the form of soapy lumps in the
mines. Lumps are steam dried, followed by Pulverization
& sifting.

● Description:
• Form: Very fine powder, free of
grittiness.
• Color: Cream to pale Buff(yellowish to
pinkish tint).
• Odour: Odorless.
• Taste: Earthy.
 • Solubility: insoluble in water & organic
solvent. It is swells 12 times its volume.

● Uses:
• Suspending & emulsifying Agent.
• Base of plaster.
• Base for lipsticks, cream etc...
• Winemaking( b.cz its remove excess protein
from white wine).

♤ Fullers Earth
● It is a mineral substance characterized by the property
of absorbing basic colors & removing them from oils. it
has high MgO content.
● G.S: England
● Description:
• Color: white to yellowish grey in color
• Odor: Odorless
• Taste: Tasteless
• Solubility: dipped in water, swells acquires non
plastic nature.
● Chemical Composition:
• Composed of alumina, silica, Iron oxide, lime,
magnesia, & water.
• Sio2-55%, Al2O3-16%, CaO- 3.5%, MgO -
2.0%, Fe2O3 -6%, Water 10%, montmorillonite 50% &
silica 18%.
● Uses:
• Preparation of dusting powder. • Bleaching & clarifying
petroleum.

Responsibility of
Consumers
Although there is an agency such as NPCB who monitors
the cosmetic products in the market, consumers should
always be careful and choose a correct product wisely
before purchasing and using a cosmetic product. Many
irresponsible online sellers are taking advantage of the
social media to sell unnotified products openly.
Before making any purchase, consumers are encouraged
to verify the notification status of cosmetic product via
NPCB's website www.bpfk.gov.my. List of cosmetic
product tested and found to contain adulterated
substances are also available on the website. Consumers
should not be easily deceived by advertisements and
promotions made on the products in search of beauty
and perfection. Instead, practicing healthy lifestyle and
use of safe products should be the way forward.