Abstract

THE EFFECT OF PRESERVATIVES USED IN COSMETICS ON SKIN MICROBIOME, A REVIEW

*Madhavi Datir, Nibha Bajpai and Mayuri Parate

Abstract

The biodiversity of the human skin acts as an indicator of skin health. The skin microbiota acts as the first line of defense against bacterial attacks. Bacteria are one of the dominant group of microbiota present on the human skin. The chemical ingredients in cosmetic formulations and the preservatives used to inhibit microbial contamination in the product either during manufacture, when in use or during its lifespan may be responsible for a change in the composition of the skin microflora. The other factors that affect the skin health are its pH, moisture present on the skin and the trans-epidermal water loss. This study includes the effect of commonly used preservatives in cosmetics on the composition of the skin microbiota. The main aim of this review is, to create awareness about the possible changes caused by preservatives used in personal care products of daily use on the skin microbiome.

Keywords: Skin microbiota, skin microbiome, preservatives, personal care cosmetics, antimicrobial activity.