Is anything growing in this? Two numbers, from an accredited laboratory, on the jar you actually use — no cold pack, no guesswork.
Cosmetics sold in the U.S. are largely not reviewed by the FDA before sale. FDA's position is that cosmetics need not be sterile, but should not contain harmful microorganisms and should keep microbial levels appropriately low — yet nothing checks whether that's true of any particular jar on any particular counter.
An opened mascara is a warm, moist, nutrient-rich environment that gets inoculated with skin flora every time it's used, then sealed again. A cream applied with fingers is the same story more slowly. Preservatives are why most cosmetics don't grow anything; a high count usually means the preservative system has been exhausted, diluted or overwhelmed. The count is the fastest way to see which.
Put on the supplied gloves and open the sterile jar without touching the inside of the jar or lid. For creams, lotions, foundations and serums, transfer product to the marked fill line with the sterile spatula (or the pipette for liquids). For lipstick, gloss, mascara and single eyeshadow pans — which usually weigh less than the lab needs — send the whole product. Seal immediately and apply the tamper-evident label.
Do not refrigerate or freeze the sample. The FDA method specifically directs that cosmetic samples are not refrigerated or frozen before analysis, because changing the temperature changes what grows. Collect, seal, and post it the same day at room temperature.
A weighed portion of the product is suspended in a neutralizing diluent that inactivates the preservative system — without that step the preservative keeps working inside the test tube and the count comes back falsely low. Solids and powders are dispersed with a surfactant first so the product actually goes into suspension.
The suspension is diluted in decimal steps, plated onto general-purpose media, and incubated. The analyst counts colony-forming units for total aerobic bacteria and, on separate plates, for yeast and mold. You get two measured numbers — not a yes/no — which is what allows a result to be compared against the reference ranges manufacturers use for batch release.
Independently operated, with no ties to filter, cleanup or remediation companies. Every sample is analyzed by an accredited partner laboratory under a named, published method, with a documented chain of custody — and your data is yours.
Order today, collect the sample at home, and mail it back in the prepaid mailer.
For informational & screening purposes. This is a laboratory analysis of the sample submitted — not a medical diagnosis, building survey, or legal determination.