Skip to content
Research Article Open access CC BY 4.0

Microbiological Quality and Characterization of Potential Pathogens Associated with Selected Brands of Commercial Cosmetic Products in Nigeria

Michael Oluyemi Babalola, Mary Eze

Microbiology Research Journal International · pp. 1–17 · Published 10 Jul 2015

10.9734/BMRJ/2015/14083

Abstract

Aims: Seemingly innocuous commercial cosmetic products have been responsible for serious overt and covert skin infections, which were often ignored as the sources or vehicles of transmission of pathogens. Materials and Methods: Three (3) popular brands of  commercial cosmetic products, consisting of fifteen (15) units each, of Hair straighteners, “Lip Gloss” and baby lotions, were randomly purchased from retail stores in Southwest Nigeria, and the microbiological qualities were evaluated, using the Aerobic plate count technique.                                                                                    Results: From the forty five (45) samples analyzed, thirty-eight (84%) were contaminated, from which a total number of seventy (70) microbial isolates belonging to eleven (11) bacteria genera (comprising 7 Gram positive rods, 27 Gram negative rods and 10 Gram positive cocci) and nine (9) fungal genera, were isolated.  Of the bacteria isolates, 50% of the Gram negatives and 52.9% of the Gram positives were multidrug resistant. The bacteria and fungal diversity in the baby lotion exceeded the hair relaxer and the Lip gloss, respectively.                                    Conclusion: The isolation of Buttiauxella agrestis, which had not been previously reported, in addition to Enterobacter gergoviae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus flavus, Penicilliumspp and Candida albicans (designated as objectionable microorganisms in cosmetics) indicated failures in the statutory microbiological standards. As such the products could serve as vehicles for transmission of these pathogens.

Cosmetics babies pathogens Buttiauxella agrestis Enterobacter gergoviae

Cited by 15

نسبة تواجد البكتيريا والفطريات في مستحضرات التجميل لدى طالبات الجامعة

سناء مهدي عريبي · ​​​​Arabian Journal of Scientific Research-المجلة العربية للبحث العلمي · 2026

Microbial Contamination in Cosmetic Products

J. D. da Silva, Francisco A. M. Silva, C. F. Rodrigues · Cosmetics · 2025

Evaluation of microbial risk associated with the use of shared makeup applicators and the rate of hygiene practices among beauticians

Chidimma Osilo, U. O. Okoli, Chioma F. Ekegbo · World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences · 2023

AEROBIC BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM USED COSMETIC PRODUCTS AND EVALUATION OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE

Ö. Akgül, Kadir Bakan · Ankara Universitesi Eczacilik Fakultesi Dergisi · 2021

Microbiological study of used cosmetic products: highlighting possible impact on consumer health

Amreen Bashir, P. Lambert · Journal of Applied Microbiology · 2020

Article metrics

Real usage data collected on this platform.

0

Page views

0

PDF downloads

0

Outbound clicks

15

Citations

Views by country

Approximate, from request IP at view time — not citizenship or institution. Countries with fewer than 5 views are grouped as "Other".

No views recorded yet.

Traffic sources

Referring site, by host.

No traffic recorded yet.

Views and downloads exclude known bots/crawlers. Citations combines this platform's own DOI-resolved index with each external source's own reported total — see Cited by above for individually listed citing works. Last refreshed 0 seconds ago.