A Study on the Popularity of Different Types of Skincare Agents among the Inhabitants in Anuradhapura District, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Background: A skincare agent is a product that is rubbed, poured, sprinkled, or sprayed on, or applied to the human body for cleansing, beautification, or enhancing appearance. They come as moisturizers, sunscreens, anti-aging creams, fairness creams etc and are composed of either synthetic chemicals or natural ingredients of herbal origin. Sri Lanka has a tropical climate with varying temperature and the country receives ample sunlight throughout the year. Most of the Sri Lankans are frequently exposed to sunlight. This is especially important in Anuradhapura district where many agricultural communities live. Therefore, the usage of skincare agents is important not only to maintain the beauty but also in terms of health perspectives. Objective: To evaluate the popularity of different types of skincare products among the people in Anuradhapura district Methods: Four hundred and four participants who live in Anuradhapura district were selected for the study. The participants were selected from all 23 divisional secretariats in the district based on the population of different divisional secretariats. The convenient sampling technique was employed and the data were collected using an interviewer administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics. Results: The study population comprised of 187 (47.3%) males and 217 (53.7%) females. Considering the total of 404 participants, 221 (54.7%) were identified as users of skincare products. Among the different categories of skincare products, moisturizer creams were the most popular type (62.90%) while 33.03% used sunscreens. There was a considerable usage of moisturizer creams among the age group of 18 -25 years (20.36%) and 26-35 years (19.46%). Among the users of skincare products, 79.64% preferred herbal skincare formulations while 4.07% used synthetic products and 16.29% of the respondents mentioned that they use both types of products. The leaves of Aloe vera was the most widely used plant material for home made herbal formulations and it was used as a fairness-enhancer and a moisturizer. Conclusions: Skincare agents are widely used by the inhabitants in Anuradhapura district and there was a considerable usage of moisturizer creams. Interestingly, most of the users prefer herbal formulations over synthetic products.