Safety testing of cosmetics is a necessary part of creating products to sell, ensuring you are legally compliant is of up most importance, to protect your brand, your reputation, your products and most importantly your customers (it is also a legal requirement in many countries).
Everything we create here at Natural Spa Factory will need to be fully compliant with cosmetic legislation, the tests involved to ensure the safety of your products are:
Microbiological/challenge testing also referred to as PET (preservative efficacy testing)
Purpose: Helps ensure microbial stability and preservation during the product’s intended shelf life and consumer use (in other words it ensures bacteria, yeast, and mould won’t start growing in your products and potentially harm your customers).
Samples of the finished product are contaminated with various microbes. The number of microbes that have survived are measured at specific intervals during a period of 28 days. Product passes the challenge test if a significant decrease or no increase in microbes is seen.
When required? Only required for products that contain water
Stability testing
Purpose: The purpose of stability testing is to ensure that the cosmetic product maintains its intended physical, chemical and microbiological quality, as well as functionality and aesthetics when stored under appropriate conditions
This testing helps:
- Ensure the functionality and aesthetics of the product are not impacted unfavourably during its intended shelf life and consumer use
- Ensure the stability and physical integrity of the product under appropriate conditions for storage, transport, and use
- Ensure chemical stability
- Determine storage conditions
- Determine the shelf life of the product
If the testing also includes compatibility testing, then it ensures compatibility between the product and packaging
When required? Strongly advised for all products but not always required (a self-declaration may be accepted).
Cosmetic Product Safety Report (only required when selling in the European Union)
Purpose: The Cosmetic Product Safety Report (CPSR) (also referred to as a safety assessment) will certify that the products you sell provide no significant risk to health under normal and foreseeable conditions of use.
No samples of your product are required for this type of assessment, but the assessor will require stability and compatibility test results. Microbiological test results will only be required to complete the assessment if your product contains water.
When required? All products sold in the European Union require a CPSR
For more information visit the CTPA who provide top level guidance for non-members, including SME’s and start-up companies which outlines the regulations with which all cosmetic products must comply.