The use of cosmetic products goes back thousands of years to antiquity. In the past, cosmetics were considered as beautifying substances or preparations that when applied to the face or the body would make us more attractive, whereas the term toiletries was sometimes reserved for those articles used for grooming, for washing or for caring for the appearance. Nowadays, our perception of cosmetics has become more extensive and toiletries, perfumes, and other personal care products have been included within the broad term “cosmetics.” A “cosmetic” can be defined as any substance or mixture intended to be placed in contact with the external parts of the human body or with the teeth and the mucous membranes of the oral cavity with a view exclusively or mainly to cleaning them, perfuming them, changing their appearance, protecting them, keeping them in good condition or correcting body odors.

This article deals with the different types of cosmetic formulations and ingredients they contain in addition to sample preparation and analytical techniques for their control.

Keywords: Analysis, Cosmetics, Personal Care, Toiletries.

Full reference:
A. Salvador, A. Chisvert. Cosmetics and Toiletries. In: P. Worsfold, C. Poole, A. Townshend, M. Miró, eds. Encyclopedia of Analytical Science. 3rd ed. Acadmeic Press; 2019. p 193-201. ISBN: 9780081019849