Determining the cosmetics usage patterns of consumers for exposure assessment in China.

Summary

A weighed-use survey of 680 adults in Guangdong generated exposure factors for 20 cosmetic categories. Over 60% used shower gel and shampoo, and about half used face cleanser, shower gel, shampoo, and conditioner daily. The dataset provides China-specific inputs for realistic exposure assessments and regulatory risk evaluations.

Key Findings

• Surveyed 680 participants (268 men, 412 women) using a weighing method with photographic documentation.
• Generated exposure factors for 20 cosmetic product types.
• Over 60% reported use of shower gel and shampoo; ~50% used face cleanser, shower gel, shampoo, and conditioner daily.
• Substantial interindividual variability in amounts used was observed.

Clinical Implications

Enables more realistic dermal/oral exposure scenarios for risk assessments, guiding safe concentration limits and consumer advice for frequent-use products.

Limitations

• Regional sample (Guangdong) limits national generalizability.
• Self-selection and moderate sample size may introduce selection bias.

Future Directions

Scale to a nationally representative survey, stratify by demographics and regions, and integrate with exposure modeling and biomonitoring data.