MICROBIOLOGICAL PROFILE OF COSMETICS 865 hours. One-gram samples were used when sample size was limited (i.e., eyeliners) and/or contamination was known to be on the surface only (i.e., sticks, blushers, pressed cakes). Streaks from the enrichment medium were made onto Vogel-Johnson Agar, Pseudomonas Isolation Agar, Eosin Methylene Blue, and Sabouraud's Dextrose Agar plates. This enrichment procedure was done upon collection of the samples and 12 weeks later for the liquid eyeliner and emulsion products. In the case of the unpreserved liquid eyeliner, a pilot study was performed to determine the extent of the proliferation of contaminant microorganisms by monitoring product from two users on a daily basis. The facial cleansing cream, the moisturizing lotion, and the night cream were packaged in wide-mouth (45 mm and 55 mm) jars. This was done to force the user to insert her fingers into the product at least once during each time of use. RESULTS Stick Mke-U (,nhydrous) Two formulations of stick make-up were used. The first (A) was a light-to-medium coverage make-up consisting of approximately 20% waxes, 50% oils, and 30% pigments, and B, a medium-to-heavy coverage consisting of approximately 10% waxes, 45% oils, and 45% pigments. The sticks were applied directly onto the face. Product A, prepared in the laboratory, contained no preservatives. Results are shown in Table I. Each unpreserved Product A stick from 11 subjects showed a plate count of less than 50/g. Product B, containing preservatives and made in production, was evaluated on 23 subjects. The preservatives were 0.1 • methyl paraben, 0.1% propyl paraben, and 0.05% sorbic acid. After use, 18 sticks showed no plate count, 4 showed approximately 100 colonies/g and one showed 3000/g. Hexa- chlorophene at 0.25% was added to the preservatives and these sticks were used by 5 additional subjects. The plate count after use was negative. Eleven subjects used the laboratory-prepared unpreserved sticks, and in all cases, there was a negative plate count. Enrichment was not done on stock make-ups A or B. Blusher Stick This product was a nonmatte or moderately shiny product used to give highlights and/or color to the face. It was somewhat similar in composi-

866 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS Table I Plate Count of Anhydrous Stick Make-Ups after Use No. of Product Preservative Subjects Plate Count" A (light coverage) B (medium coverage) B None 11 50/g None 11 N.R. 0.2% parabens b 23 0.05% sorbic acid 0.2% parabens b 5 0.05% sorbic acid 0.25 % hexachlorophene 18 = N.R. 4 = •00/g I = 3000/g N.R. "N.R. = no recovery. • 0.1 methyl paraben, 0.1 propyl paraben. tion to stick make-up in that it was anhydrous, but had less pigment (10%). Product was made in the laboratory with and without preserva- tives. As shown in Table II, the preservatives were 0.1% methyl paraben, 0.1% propyl paraben, and 0.05% sorbic acid. Twenty-one subjects used the unpreserved sticks and the plate counts for 12 sticks were negative and 9 sticks showed less than 200/g. Nine subjects used the stick containing preservatives and all 9 sticks showed less than 200 colonies/g by plate count. Both the preserved and unpreserved products were evaluated by the enrichment and differential streaking procedure. Noncoagulase positive Staphylococcus and gram-positive bacilli were found in both products. Table II Microbiological Profile of an Anhydrous Blusher Stick after Use Isolations No. of From Preservatives Subjects Plate Count • Enrichments None 21 12 = N.R. Staph 9 = 200/g Gram q- bacilli 0.2% parabens• 9 200/g Staph 0.05% sorbic acid Gram q- bacilli • N.R. = no recovery. • 0.1 methyl paraben, 0.1 propyl paraben.