New ISO Standard for Microbe-free Cosmetics
Posted:
Tuesday, July 17th, 2012
Category:
ISO Training
It was a long time coming, but with cosmetics companies going hard for the hearts, minds, and complexion of not just women the world over, but also men, it was just a matter of time. And now it’s finally here: an ISO standard for cosmetics. Specifically, an ISO standard to help evaluate the antimicrobial properties of cosmetic products.
ISO 11930:2012 (Cosmetics – Microbiology – Evaluation of the antimicrobial protection of a cosmetic product) sets important guideposts in testing the efficacy of a cosmetic product in safeguarding consumers. It hews to the tradition of usefulness, practicability, and relevance set by such popular standards as ISO 14001 (and its ISO 14001 training component).
“The use of cosmetics is as global as the industry,” stated Andrée Cremieux, project leader of the team that developed ISO 11930. “Harmonized global guidance is necessary to ensure tests of cosmetics are carried out reliably around the world, and that results from different laboratories are comparable.
“ISO 11930 outlines a procedure for evaluating the overall preservation of a cosmetic product including a preservation efficacy test, as well as evaluation criteria. The standard will share best practice around the world, making companies more efficient, bringing down barriers to trade and reassuring consumers that the products they use are safe.”
ISO says ISO 11930 should be employed in accordance with another standard—ISO 29621:2010 (Guidelines for the risk assessment and identification of microbiologically low-risk products) which helps identify products that are at risk of microbial contamination.
