Personal care products

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Personal care products are

Pharmaceutical products
are not considered personal care products.

Most of the personal care products are rinsed off immediately after use, such as shampoos, soaps, toothpastes, shower gels, etc. A few personal care products, however, are left on the applied surface such as moisturizing cream, sunscreen, etc.

The global market size of the personal care products industry is several hundred billion US Dollars (as of early 2020s).

are some of the world-leading companies in personal care products industry.

Description

Swedish advertisement for toiletries (c. 1905/06)

Personal care products can be categorized according to their function and area of application. These are cleansing products, hair care products, oral care products, sun care products, skin hydrating products, feminine care products, hair removal products, nail care products, eye care products and anal hygiene products.

Cleansing products

Cleansing products include

Bath towels are used to dry up wet areas on the body, face towels are used to dry up wet face. Exfoliating scrubs
(loofahs and such) are used for deeper cleansing.

Hair care products

These include shampoos, hair conditioners, hair oils and hair treatments, and they are used to cleanse, condition and treat hair so that hair is clean and healthy. Scalp massagers promote blood flow in the scalp and scalp serums hydrate and nourish the scalp.

Hair removal products

Among hair removal products, there are

depilatory creams
). These are used to remove unwanted hair from various parts of the body.

Oral care products

These are

Tongue scrapers
are used to remove food debris, dead cells and bacteria from the tongue surface. Denture care products are used to clean artificial dentures.

Skin care products

These include

hand creams, pomades and facial moisturizers. They are used to hydrate, moisturize, and nourish the skin and keep the skin soft, smooth, and protected. Lip balms
keep the lips hydrated.

Sun care products

Sun care products include lotions, creams, sprays, gels, oils and sticks that act as a

Sunglasses and wide-brimmed sun hats
are used to protect the eyes from the sun.

Feminine care products

These include sanitary pads, tampons, menstrual cups, and panty liners. There are used for menstrual hygiene and provide comfort, absorption, and protection during menstruation.

Nail care products

Nail care products include nail cutters, nail files and cuticle creams. They are used to maintain and enhance the appearance of nails and promote healthy nail growth.

Eye care products

These include

eye masks
, which are gel or sheet masks placed over closed eyes to provide cooling, soothing, and hydrating effects, and to help reduce puffiness, relieve tired eyes, and improve the appearance of dark circles.

Anal hygiene products

wet wipes
are used. These are used to keep the anal area clean from fecal remains and harmful bacteria after defecation.

Forms and additives

Personal care products can come in different physical forms such as liquid solutions, solid bars and sticks, semi-solid or

along with the actual product.

In addition, there are personal care tools such as

, sponges, pads, scrubs, etc. which help apply the aforementioned products or have their own functions.

Hotel application

Typical toiletries offered at many hotels include:

  • small bar of soap
  • disposable shower cap
  • small bottle of moisturizer
  • small bottles of shampoo and conditioner
  • toilet paper
  • box of facial tissue
  • face towels
  • disposable shoe polishing cloth
  • Toothpaste
  • Toothbrush
  • Cologne

Corporations

Some of the major corporations in the personal care industry are:

Other corporations, such as pharmacies (e.g.

CVS/pharmacy, Walgreens) primarily retail
in personal care rather than manufacture personal care products themselves.

Environmental impacts

The environmental effect of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) is being investigated since at least the 1990s. PPCPs include substances used by individuals for personal health or cosmetic reasons and the products used by agribusiness to boost growth or health of livestock. More than twenty million tons of PPCPs are produced every year.[1] The European Union has declared pharmaceutical residues with the potential of contamination of water and soil to be "priority substances".[3]

PPCPs have been detected in water bodies throughout the world. More research is needed to evaluate the risks of toxicity, persistence, and bioaccumulation, but the current state of research shows that personal care products impact the environment and other species, such as coral reefs[2][3][4] and fish.[5][6] PPCPs encompass environmental persistent pharmaceutical pollutants (EPPPs) and are one type of persistent organic pollutants. They are not removed in conventional sewage treatment plants but require a fourth treatment stage which not many plants have.[1]

In 2022, the most comprehensive study of pharmaceutical pollution of the world's rivers found that it threatens "environmental and/or human health in more than a quarter of the studied locations". It investigated 1,052 sampling sites along 258 rivers in 104 countries, representing the river pollution of 470 million people. It found that "the most contaminated sites were in low- to middle-income countries and were associated with areas with poor wastewater and waste management infrastructure and pharmaceutical manufacturing" and lists the most frequently detected and concentrated pharmaceuticals.[7][8]

See also

References