Personal care products are a class of consumer products associated hygiene and personal grooming.[1] They are marketed to modern consumers as "minimally necessary" or improving appearance or well-being.[1]
They are applied on various external parts of the body such as skin, hair, nails, lips, external genital and anal areas, as well as teeth and mucous membrane of the oral cavity'''. Toiletries''' form a narrower category of personal care products which are used for basic hygiene and cleanliness as a part of a daily routine. Cosmetic products, in contrast, are used for personal grooming and beautification (aesthetically enhance a person's appearance). Pharmaceutical products are not considered personal care products.
Most of the personal care products are rinsed off immediately after use, such as shampoos, soaps, toothpastes, shower gels, etc. Some products, such as moisturizers and sunscreens, are designed to remain on the skin for extended protection.
The global market size of the personal care products industry is several hundred billion US Dollars (as of early 2020s). As of 2025, it was estimated that the average adult in the United States used a dozen personal care products daily containing over 110 unique ingredients.[2] Further, among those ingredients, different countries have restricted use of different sets, so that, for instance, the European Union has banned inclusion of over 2,400 such ingredients while the United States has banned only 15, as of 2025.[2] Procter & Gamble, L'Oreal, Johnson & Johnson, Unilever, Colgate-Palmolive, Gillette, Avon, Natura & Co, Kimberly-Clark and Shiseido are some of the world-leading companies in personal care products industry.
Description
Personal care products can be categorized according to their function and area of application. These are cleansing products, hair care products, oral care products, sun care products, skin hydrating products, feminine care products, hair removal products, nail care products, eye care products and anal hygiene products.
Cleansing products
Cleansing products include hand soaps or bar soaps, shower gels, body washes, facial cleansers, body oils, body lotions, cleansing pads, moist towelettes. They remove dirt, excess oil and other impurities from the surface of the body and improve a person's overall cleanliness. Facial tissues are used to wipe the nasal discharge. Cotton pads are used to remove makeup. Cotton swabs are used to clean outer ear. Bath towels are used to dry up wet areas on the body, face towels are used to dry up wet face. Exfoliating scrubs (loofahs and such) are used for deeper cleansing.
Hair care products
These include shampoos, hair conditioners, hair oils and hair treatments, and they are used to cleanse, condition and treat hair so that hair is clean and healthy.
Forms and additives
Personal care products can come in different physical forms such as liquid solutions, solid bars and sticks, semi-solid or emulsion-based mixtures, powders, aerosols, oils, gels, scrubs and sheets. They may contain colorants, fragrances, emollients, surfactants, humectants, thickeners, stabilizers, preservatives, pH adjusters and pH buffers, silicones, chelating agents, film-forming agents, natural extracts, antioxidants, disinfectants and antimicrobials along with the actual product.
In addition, there are personal care tools such as toothbrushes, hairbrushes and combs, manual razors and electric shavers, tweezers, nail clippers and files, sponges, pads, scrubs, etc. which help apply the aforementioned products or have their own functions.
Hotel application
Typical toiletries offered at many hotels include:
- small bar of soap
- disposable shower cap
- small bottle of moisturizer
- small bottles of shampoo and conditioner
- toilet paper
- box of facial tissue
- face towels
- disposable shoe polishing cloth
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrush
- Cologne
Corporations
Some of the major corporations in the personal care industry are: • Alberto-Culver
• Amorepacific
• Amway
• Avon
• Beiersdorf
• Colgate-Palmolive
• Combe Incorporated
• Coty Inc
• Dyson
• Edgewell Personal Care
• Essity
• Henkel
• ITC Limited
• Johnson & Johnson
• Kaya Skin Clinic
• Kimberly-Clark
• L'Oreal
• Natura
• O Boticário
• Pechoin
Environmental impacts
See also
- Cosmetics
- Sachet
- Toiletry kit
References
- Liz Grauerholz. Toxic Personal Care: Selling Gendered Marketing and Chemical Toxicity Through Personal Care Products Sociological Quarterly, 2025^
- Paper copy consulted. Safer Personal Care Products Consumer Reports, 2026^
- Dr.Sorbie – Professional Hair Care Dr.Sorbie, retrieved 6 March 2026^