Abstract:
Background: Haircare products have gained immense significance, transcending mere aesthetics
into essential components of holistic self-care routines in today's beauty-conscious world. The
importance of these products lies not only in enhancing hair's appearance but also in promoting
overall scalp health and addressing specific concerns such as dandruff, dryness, and damage.
Hence, choosing the greatest hair cosmetics is crucial, and one of the key factors influencing a
customer's decision to purchase such goods is the cosmetic label.
Objective: To evaluate the comprehensiveness of the information provided on the labels of
haircare cosmetic products in Sri Lanka
Methods: In this preliminary study, hundred haircare cosmetic products: hair oil, shampoo, hair
conditioner, hair gel, hair cream, hair spray, hair colour and hair serum were randomly selected as
test samples from the supermarkets in the Western province according to the convenient sampling
method, from January to April 2024. The product's name, brand name, manufacturer details,
country, manufactured and expired dates, shelf life, volume or weight, price, directions, contact
information, hair types, pH value, ingredients, storage conditions, precaution details and presence
of symbols were recorded. Data were analysed using Microsoft Excel 2016.
Results: All the analysed product labels contained details of product name, brand name, price,
manufacture and expired dates. Although, different hair types often require different hair
cosmetics to address their specific needs effectively, only 41% of products mention the hair type
in their label. Also, 57% of products’ labels contain special precautions such as external use only
and avoiding contact with eyes, in case of irritation or allergy discontinuing use etc. However,
only 43% of products contained those in three languages.
Conclusions: Although all tested haircare cosmetic products contained details about product
name, brand name, price, manufacture and expired dates, not all selected products showed details
on special precautions, warning statements, and instructions on the use. Hence, it is recommended
that the label contents of haircare cosmetics be improved to ensure that consumers have access to
comprehensive information.
