Two mascaras found in excess of safety standard on microbialcontent - CHOICE # 370

Imagine, invisible to the naked eyes, tens of thousands of micro-organisms are crawling in the mascara you use to apply on your eyelashes.

This is not just a figment of your imagination.

In a Consumer Council test on 40 mascara samples, two mascaras were detected with a total bacterial count of 78,000 cfu/g.

This is more than 150 times over the permitted limit (standard plate count) of 500 cfu/g or per ml based on the mainland's Hygiene Standard for Cosmetics.

Besides, a count of molds and yeast of 530 cfu/g and 4,100 cfu/g were detected respectively in the two samples.

Fortunately for the users no pathogens of fecal coliform, staphylococcus aureus, pseudomonas aeruginosa were found in the bacteria.

The use of unhygienic mascara may greatly increase the risk of developing eye infection or inflammation.

Excessive level of microbial content in cosmetics may be due to a host of reasons. In both cases, the two mascara samples were not labelled with any information in relation to their manufacturing and/or expiry dates.

Consumers have therefore no clue as to the hygiene condition of these products, or if the products are beyond expiration for use.

The Consumer Council urges cosmetics manufacturers to include in the labelling comprehensive information on use-by dates, as well as ingredients, to facilitate consumers' choice.

Other reasons of excessive microbial content in cosmetics can be attributable to poor hygiene during the production process, damage in packages, insufficient or failure of preservatives in the products.

With the exception of the two mascara samples in question, the great majority of the samples in fact fared well and were satisfactory. 

The heavy metal content of all samples was in compliance with the standard.

On a scale of 5-point rating, 31 (77.5%) of the 40 samples scored an overall high rating of 4 points (16 samples) and above (15 samples), based on heavy metal content (40%), microbial content (40%), labelling (20%).

Eye cosmetics are without doubt an important part of facial make-up. Care should always be exercised to avoid injury.

The Hong Kong Medical Association has advised people to stop using make-up when they feel irritation in the eyes, and use appropriate tools to remove mascara thoroughly. Highlighted in the report were three medical cases attended by doctors:

A patient was found with a few eyelashes hidden under her lower eyelid. The eyelashes had apparently fallen off during the make-up removing process, and remained in the eyes causing irritation.

Another patient felt unwell about her eyes for nearly half a year; after examination, it was found that she had been taking a make-up training course, and that she might have shared with other classmates cosmetics that were contaminated resulting in irritation of the eyes.

In the third case, the patient felt itchy after applying eye make-up, her eyes became red and swollen; the irritation was later found to be caused by certain ingredients in the eye cosmetics.

More advice from the ophthalmologists:

• Some people may be allergic to waterproof mascaras.
• Don't use waterproof, glitter, lengthening and volumising (thickening) mascara daily as small particles may get into eyes easily and increase the risk of eye infections, especially for those wearing contact lens.
• Shorten the time of wearing make-up.
• Use appropriate make-up remover and tools (i.e. cotton pads and rods) to remove waterproof cosmetics as make-up residues may get into eyes and cause irritation or even infections.
• Check the product label before buying and using.
• Dispose of eye cosmetics opened for a month, stop use if it gets dried, deteriorated, or color changed. Don't try to dilute the dried mascaras with water, toner or other substances.