The cosmetic industry is one of the most robust industries worldwide and is composed of major brands as well as thousands of small companies. The cosmetic companies all use variable ingredients which need to be tested in independent cosmetic testing laboratories as also the finished product for safety parameters. All manufacturers, distributors and importers of cosmetic personal care and beauty products need to be in compliance with regulations and guidelines of the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), which is the cosmetic regulatory body in India.
In keeping with regulatory guidelines these manufacturers, distributors and importers of cosmetic products have to ensure that the cosmetic products as well as the ingredients used in the manufacture of these products are
- free of contaminants and harmful microorganisms
- have correct ingredient listing of active as well as inactive substances
- are safe for human use
Claims and Labels
There are a number of cosmetic companies that advertise certain claims on labels. Cosmetic testing in independent chemical testing laboratories helps to determine that the advertised claims are indeed authentic. Testing also assures consumers that the product is free of allergens that can have a negative effect. Chemical labs ensure that the ingredients listed on any of the cosmetic products are quantified in exact measurement and that both active and inactive ingredients are listed correctly so customers have full information about the ingredients in the products.
Cosmetic testing requirement
Cosmetic companies use both natural and chemical ingredients. Chemical testing labs carry out safety testing of cosmetic products so they do not cause harm to customers or cause skin irritations and allergies. Chemical ingredients contain both active and inactive chemical compounds and sometimes inactive compounds can become active or reactive over a period of time. Cosmetic testing ensures that the composition of the cosmetic does not alter or disintegrate over a period of time. Cosmetics are often made from natural ingredients and testing cosmetics in laboratories indicates that the natural ingredients are free from fungus and moulds. Independent chemical testing laboratories also test cosmetics for presence of heavy metals like lead, arsenic, etc.
Malpractices
Any malpractices in the cosmetic manufacturing can lead to serious charges. It is possible that the regulator asks the company to withdraw their product from the market because of
- adulteration
- use of banned ingredients
- incomplete labelling
Such practices are sometimes unintentional but still they can cause loss of reputation for the brand and economic loss for the manufacturer. Therefore, it is important to test the ingredients at the developmental stage as well as finished product so there is no adulteration or use of banned substances that can cause permanent damage to the health of the customer.
Conclusion
There are a number of independent testing laboratories in India that have specialists and expertise for cosmetic testing. Manufacturers and importers use their services for testing of raw materials, ingredients, chemical compounds so that the manufacturers, suppliers and retailers are assured that risk is ruled out and the cosmetic product is safe for human use.
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