PaO (period after opening)

Abstract

The fondamenta! aim of the 2003/15/EC Directive is actually to guarantee the safety of the cosmetic products on the basis of new scientific progress in safety matters pertaining to the I ife-time of cosmetic products. In order to enhance consumer information PaO (Period after Opening) indication on the label aims to inform the consumer about the stabil ity of the cosmetic, as it indicates the period of time after opening during which the product can be used without harmful effects. For PaO (period after opening) determination of cosmetic products, no specific validateci scientific methods exist, nor any standardized protocols (characterizing the most suitable analysis for the different products), or references that accurately document protocols of this kind (there are no recognized bibliographical references describing the effective correspondence between the residence time in thermostated rooms and the effective aging of the product). The evaluation must reasonably take into account the physical-chemical characteristics of the products and the normai or expected conditions of use. The environmental persistence test is proposed here for the determinati on of PaO of two commerciai cosmetic products, a face powder and a daytime cream at the time of opening, and after accelerateci artificial ageing in the artificial aging device in order to estimate the possible degradation.