Safety Assessment Of Over-The-Counter Personal Care And Cosmetic Products Ingredients Based On Product Description And Properties

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the safety and health risk of ingredients in over the counter and personal care products focusing on safety standards and labeling.

Study Design: It was descriptive cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of study :The study was conducted in Superior University for duration of 4 months.

Material and Methods: This study evaluated the safety of ingredients in over-the-counter personal care and cosmetic  products. The evaluation is distributed among four categories: Hair care, eye care, skin care and cosmetics. A sample of 100 products were selected from pharmacies and online stores. Data is analyzed by using SPSS version 26, used statistical methods; descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests to determine toxicity, carcinogenicity, and labeling Compliance.

Results: The study examined that most of the products were safe in terms of toxicity and carcinogens, a significant number of products were deficient in key labeling information like; emergency contact details and usage instructions, emphasizing the importance of enhancing labeling to safeguard consumer safety and trust.Statistical significance of  results are less then(p<0.05) between safety level of ingredients and label adherence which mention gaps in regulation

Conclusion: The study underscores the critical need to enhance regulatory frameworks and raise consumer awareness. This study concludes that a considerable number of over-the-counter personal care and cosmetic products in Pakistan contain potentially harmful ingredients. Some products comply with safety standards, gaps in regularity and labeling transparency expose consumers to potential risk.