[Analysis of volcanic-ash-based insoluble ingredients of facial cleansers]

The substance termed "Shirasu balloons", produced by the heat treatment of volcanic silicates, is in the form of hollow glass microspheres. Recently, this substance has gained popularity as an ingredient of facial cleansers currently available in the market, because it lends a refreshing and smooth feeling after use. However, reports of eye injury after use of a facial cleanser containing a substance made from volcanic ashes are on the rise. We presumed that the shape and size of these volcanic-ash-based ingredients would be the cause of such injuries. Therefore, in this study, we first developed a method for extracting water-insoluble ingredients such as "Shirasu balloons" from the facial cleansers, and then, we examined their shapes and sizes. The insoluble ingredients extracted from the cleansers were mainly those derived from volcanic silicates. A part of the ingredients remained in the form of glass microspheres, but for the most part, the ingredients were present in various forms, such as fragments of broken glass. Some of the fragments were larger than 75 microm in length. Foreign objects having a certain hardness, shape, and size (e.g., size greater than 75 microm) can possibly cause eye injury. We further examined insoluble ingredients of facial scrubs, such as artificial mineral complexes, mud, charcoal, and polymers, except for volcanic-silicate-based ingredients. The amounts of insoluble ingredients extracted from these scrubs were small and did not have a sharp edge. Some scrubs had ingredients with particles larger than 75 microm in size, but their specific gravities were small and their hardness values were much lower than those of glass microspheres of ingredients such as "Shirasu balloons". Because the fragments of glass microspheres can possibly cause eye injury, the facial cleansers containing large insoluble ingredients derived from volcanic ashes should be avoided to use around eyes.