Quality control of glycerin liquid body soaps sold in community pharmacies

Abstract

A quality liquid soap must have essential characteristics, such as gentle application, pleasant color and aroma, adequate viscosity, good foam formation, effective cleaning, ideal pH and absence of irritation to the skin and mucous membranes, ensuring safety and satisfaction to the user. The evaluation of the quality of formulations available on the market represents an active surveillance approach, capable of identifying flaws in the formulation and production of these products. In this context, this study evaluated, through laboratory tests, the physical-chemical quality and functionality of liquid body soaps containing glycerin, sold in pharmacies. The methodology included the analysis of five brands of soaps, focusing on parameters such as labeling, pH, water content, foaming capacity, cleaning power and types of preservatives. The results revealed that some brands presented non-conformities in the labeling test, in addition to variations in the other parameters evaluated. These findings suggest that good manufacturing practices, as well as pre-formulation and stability studies, may be being neglected or performed inadequately, impacting the final quality of the products. It is concluded that there are flaws in the labeling of some brands of liquid soap, but the physical-chemical properties of the respective glycerin formulations sold in the state of Maranhão, with the exception of product [E], exhibit a behavior suggestive that they minimally fulfill their role as liquid soap.