Actual consumption amount of personal care products reflecting Japanese cosmetic habits.

Safety assessments of cosmetics are carried out by identifying possible harmful effects of substances in cosmetic products and assessing the exposure to products containing these substances. The present study provided data on the amounts of cosmetic products consumed in Japan to enhance and complement the existing data from Europe and the United States, i.e., the West. The outcomes of this study increase the accuracy of exposure assessments and enable more sophisticated risk assessment as a part of the safety assessment of cosmetic products. Actual amounts of products applied were calculated by determining the difference in the weight of products before and after use by approximately 300 subjects. The results of the study of skincare products revealed that in comparison with the West, large amounts of lotions and emulsions were applied, whereas lower amounts of cream and essence were applied in Japan. In the study of sunscreen products, actual measured values during outdoor leisure use were obtained, and these were lower than the values from the West. The study of the use of facial mask packs yielded data on typical Japanese sheet-type impregnated masks and revealed that high amounts were applied. Furthermore, data were obtained on cleansing foams, makeup removers and makeup products. The data from the present study enhance and complement existing information and will facilitate more sophisticated risk assessments. The present results should be extremely useful in safety assessments of newly developed cosmetic products and to regulatory authorities in Japan and around the world.