5 t. Soc. Cosmetic Chemists, 15, 745-760 (1964) THE EFFECTS OF AFTER-SHAVE LOTIONS ON SKIN FLORA By FR•.D C. TsEIL•., B. So., and D^Ni•.L C. P•.As•, JR., B.A., M.S.* Presented yune 22-26, 1964, Third Congress International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists, New York City ABSTRACT Methods for rapidly and conveniently estimating the number of colonies on the skin have been developed. The activities of various lotions immediately after application and several hours later are compared using in vivo and in vitro techniques. The new in vivo method utilizing the Rodac plate is convenient, rapid and reproducible. Correlation of the in vivo procedure with in vitro tests shows that the perfume plays an important part in inhibiting the growth of many or- ganisms. The ingredients of after-shave lotion, individually and in various combinations, as well as commercial after-shave lotions have been tested. The effect that these have on the skin flora and their antifungal and antibacterial activities are shown. INTRODUCTION Fragrant materials were recognized almost from the very beginnings of civilization as having strange and mysterious properties. Initially, perfumes were concocted by heathen priests as offerings to their Gods. The occult powers of these Holy Men extended into the healing profession, and they continued to use fragrant balsams and ointments as curative agents. In almost every land from China to Egypt, odorous incense was burned in the temples, and shrines were considered to be areas of purity. Recent investigations have given credence to the effects which were noted but not understood by these ancients. The pleasing and soothing effects that fragrant oils had upon the senses were coupled with very real and measur- able antimicrobial activities. * Shulton, Inc., Clifton, N.J. 07015. 745

746 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS Maruzzella and his co-workers (1) have demonstrated the antifungal and antibacterial properties of an extensive list of perfume materials ranging from frankincense and myrrh of Biblical times to sophisticated new aroma- tics created in our laboratories. Perfumes were not long confined to use at religious ceremonies or funeral processions. The nobility (and any others who could afford them) found that these fragrant unguents added a certain charm to their persons, and the practice of using redolent substances soon spread to the commoners (2). Thus, from their early sacred as- sociations, perfumes became secular items. While cosmetics in early civilizations were confined to the female sex, not so with fragrant preparations. In many periods, perfume was more widely employed among the males, and in many areas its use was the exclusive prerogative of the most masculine, athletic, and war-like of men. Today we find history repeating itself. Once again men have discovered that fragrance adds to their good grooming, and they are vying with women to make themselves more fragrant. Sales in men's toiletries, such as after- shave lotions, colognes and other products designed to leave pleasant scents on the user have outstripped sales of perfumes for women in the United States (3). The popularity of fragrance throughout the ages has been based on its appeal to the user or beholder through his sense of smell. Not many have realized, however, the contribution that the fragrant portion of our toiletry items makes in functional areas as opposed to its purely aesthetic effects. The discovery of the relationship which exists between micro6rganisms and disease, which occurred around the beginning of the 19th century, brought forth a more extensive use of essential oils and their isolates, specif- ically for the purpose of controlling microbial growth. At first only crude and natural materials were employed. As various processes were perfected, and as knowledge of chemistry and perfumery adw•nced, the respective constituent oils were obtained and separated into component parts (4). Among the earliest to recognize and describe antimicrobial activities of essential oils were Schonbein in 1840, as noted by Cade (5), Miller in 1892 (6), and Freudenreich in 1889 (7). The antibacterial properties of perfumes were first demonstrated in 1924 by Dyche-Teague, who applied the phenol coefficient technique to a mixed bacterial culture obtained from nasal secretion (8). In the same year Bryant confirmed these findings, using a pure culture of E. coli (9). While sets of experimental data may be accurate in themselves, the test conditions differ widely thus no accurate comparison between their results can be made. Some experimenters have used pure oils, while others employed extracts of natural products with and without added essences and even mixtures of unknown composition. For these reasons, the literature on the germicidal and antiseptic properties of essential oils is often confusing and of little