CHARACTERIZATION OF SELECTED BLUSH, BRONZER AND FOUNDATION COSMETIC PRODUCTS IN THE CONTEXT OF CONSUMER HEALTH & SAFETY AND FORENSICS

Maintaining the compositional integrity of cosmetic products is vital for consumer health. This is because contaminated products can lead to various types of illnesses and thus potentially pose a consumer health risk. The presence of trace elements such as V, Cr, Cu, Zn, As, and Pb within a product can indicate potential health concerns. Additionally, a detailed understanding of cosmetic material properties can be useful for forensic investigations where cosmetics may be present as trace evidence. In order to assess both the concentration of potential elements of concern and other possible contaminants, six different powder products (blushes, foundations, and bronzers) across three popular brands (CoverGirl, L’Oréal, and Maybelline) were initially investigated. Basic X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface analysis was utilized for visual, chemical, and physical analyses of the products. Preliminary XRD data indicates talc is a dominant mineral. SEM imaging of the powders revealed multiple occurrences of spherules surrounded by irregularly shaped and degraded particles, as well as particles that were thin and elongated. EDS revealed major elements to include Si, K, and O, with minor trace elements including Ca, Fe, Mg, Ba, Ti, V, and Al. BET determined an average surface area of 1.05 m²/g across samples. Bulk ICP-MS analysis demonstrated elements of potential health concern varied but were commonly low, with ranges being approximately 3.0 to 37.0 ppm for V, 4.0 to 7.0 ppm for Cr, 0.01 to 0.1 ppm for Cu, 0.1 to 0.2 ppm for As, and 0.4 to 6.0 ppm for Pb. Zinc was present at higher concentrations likely owing to the intentional addition of zinc compounds. Zinc ranged from 26.0 to 11,000 ppm (1.1 wt%). Other trace elements present and of interest for forensic tracing include: 3.0 to 97.0 ppm for Rb, 1.0 to 595.0 ppm for Sr, 0.001 to 0.3 ppm for Lu, 0.7 to 2.0 ppm for La, and 1 to 3.5 ppm for Y. Results indicate geochemical variability exists between the type of product and brand. Future cosmetic powder characterization will support the development of mineralogical and geochemical framework for the assessment of these materials in a variety of contexts.