When testing a cosmetic or personal care product for shelf-life and stability, packaging is a major factor that should be taken into consideration. While the product itself may have a relatively stable shelf-life when tested in glass or another temporary package, the same stability may not be observed in the product’s final packaging. It is important to run stability testing in the packaging intended for marketing due to interactions that may occur between the package, the product, and the environment. Glass, being the least reactive material, does not react with cosmetic products in any way. Therefore, Microchem Laboratory runs package compatibility testing in both the product’s final packaging and in glass to determine if the cause of product spoilage is due to the formula itself, or if the package is having advers affects on the formula.
Moisture loss through the packaging is another common problem. It is important to verify that the package chosen will offer the protection needed to prevent this as it may lead to unpleasant changes in the product. Demonstrating how the product will react to certain conditions while in package will help determine what conditions are best for proper storage of your product. For instance, products that degrade with exposure to light or moisture will need to be stored in such a way that will prevent them from exposure, unless the packaging can demonstrate sufficient protection from those conditions. Packages that are easily damaged should be avoided as this can cause a product to spoil from microbial or chemical changes.