Antimicrobial Activities of Some Commercial Cosmetics on Selected Cutaneous Microflora

The antimicrobial activities of twenty-two cosmetics on selected cutaneous microflora were investigated. The microorganisms isolated from the human skin were Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staph. aureus, Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus subtilis, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger and A. fumigatus. It was observed that those cosmetics that did not inhibit some specific microorganisms at 100 mg/ml did not also inhibit the microorganisms at 400 mg/ml. Ten (45.45%) of the cosmetics had antimicrobial effect on Staph. epidermidis, nine (40.91%) of the cosmetics had antimicrobial effect on Staph. aureus, six (27.27%) of the cosmetics had antimicrobial effect on Micrococcus luteus, four (18.18%) of the cosmetics had antimicrobial effect on Bacillus subtilis, only one (4.55%) of the cosmetics had antimicrobial effect on Proteus mirabilis. Also five (22.73%) each of the cosmetics had antimicrobial effect on Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans, none of the cosmetics was able to inhibit A. niger and A. funmigatus. Most of the cosmetics employed in the course of the research could cause diseases in immune competent patient.