ABSTRACT
Essential oils are widely incorporated in cosmetics products and other products due to their properties but mainly due to their pleasant odor and biological importance. On the other hand, body cream is a soft substance used on the skin to protect it or make it feel soft. Body creams are readily used to keep the skin soft and useful. Therefore, this study aims to extract oil from coconut using the wet heat process, evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the body cream formulated via coconut oil and to characterize the body cream and compare with a standard cream (Familia).
Here, the coconut oil was obtained from coconut seed (Cocos nucifera) by solvent extraction method using the wet heat process. The proximate composition obtained from the analysis includes Moisture content (3.83%), Crude fibre (44.75%,) Crude fats (26.35%), Ash content (2.35%), Crude protein of 7.71%, and Carbohydrate content of 15.02% were determined using the standard method. Coconut oil was used for cream production. Furthermore, the antimicrobial activity of the cream was evaluated. From the result obtained, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most inhibited compared to other bacteria strains. This was closely followed by Bacillus subtilis. There was no activity against S. aureus and K. pneumonias.
On characterization of the body cream using different test the result obtained included viscosity (2104.30Cp), Moisture content (1.21%), pH of 6.50, Ash content (5.5%), Volatile matter of (94.95%), Electrical conductivity of 2038 and Spreadability at different temperatures of 30ºC, 35ºC, 40ºC were 16. 77g.cm/s, 21. 71g.cm/s, 37. 56g.cm/s respectively. Further tests carried out were patch test and thermal stability. From the analysis and the results obtained, coconut oil is excellent for the production of food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetic.
