CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

An increasing trend in terms of the demand on beauty and personal care products

in the Philippines is very evident, wherein it infers that mass products are marketable

among Filipinos. Consumers are showing greater interest in mass products, particularly in

skin care, which offer perceived higher specific value through the use of more advanced

or natural ingredients, while still offering greater affordability to premium brands

(Mintel, 2018). Cosmetics plays a huge role in enhancing the facial features of a person.

It is considered as the magic wand of a make – up artist and makes the appearance of the

face flawless and perfect (Jones & Kramer, 2016).

The aforesaid factors where consumer considers in purchasing cosmetics drives

many dermatologists and cosmetologists to formulate natural-based products considering

the abundant resources of the country. The Philippines as a tropical country is rich in

natural resources because of its fertile and cultivable lands which are able to hold

diverse flora and fauna, extensive coastlines, and rich mineral deposits. Since the country

holds diverse vegetation and most of the Filipinos believe in the folkloric use of such

vegetation. Plants are considered a majestic ingredient in sustaining and improving life.

The concept of beauty and cosmetics comes from early human civilizations.

Generally, herbal cosmetics are also referred to as natural cosmetics(Laxmi & Hashal,

2015). Nowadays, millennials are very meticulous in using beauty products most

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especially in their daily skin routine. As a precautionary measure for themselves, they opt

to use cosmetics and skin care products that is organic and affordable.

Soursop (Annona muricata L.) or locally known as babana is an abundant fruit

bearing tree in the country, it is cultivated in the Philippines since it favors the tropical

climate that the country has. In the folkloric perspective, the seeds and fruits of the

soursop are used as astringents, poultice on abscesses, and treatment on eczema and skin

eruptions (Stuart, 2019).

In European and Asian countries, body scrubs part of the female beauty ritual for

thousands of years. Women comes together weekly to relax and bathe while scrubbing

their bodies. In ancient Egyptian times, both men and women used scrubs with perfumed

oils to keep their skin supple and free of wrinkles from the dry desert heat and today this

weekly ritual continues in many countries around the world (Blitz, 2011).

Basically, body scrub is a popular body treatment since it exfoliates and hydrates

our skin, leaving it smooth and soft. A body scrub is usually made with an abrasive

material usually sea salt or sugar mixed with some kind of massage oil and aromatic like

essential oils. The continuous use of body scrub becomes an encultured routine in

maintaining good health and beauty since body scrubbing removes dead skin cells and

dirt from the outermost layers of the skin to moisturize and allows regeneration skin cells

by the aid of natural oils. More so, body scrub can stimulate the body natural healing

mechanism, encourage cell renewal and eliminate excess fluids and bloating while

leaving your skin supple, healthy and glowing (Blitz, 2011).

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In addressing such timely demands in the cosmetics industry and also to adhere

the call of the government for sustainability, the researcher decided to study the

acceptability of the utilization of Soursop fruit as the main ingredient in making body

scrub.

Objectives of the Study

This study generally aimed to determine the acceptability of the utilization of

soursop as body scrub. Specifically, it aimed to:

1. determine the acceptability of body scrub using soursop among the three (3)

treatments in terms of appearance, fragrance and abrasiveness.

2. find out the sensory qualities of body scrub using soursop among the three (3)

treatments when applied in terms of exfoliating, moisturizing, and smoothing effect.

3. find out if there is significant difference in the acceptability of body scrub using

soursop among three (3) treatments in terms of appearance, fragrance and abrasiveness.

4. find out if there is significant difference in the sensory qualities of body scrub

using soursop among the three (3) treatments when applied in terms of exfoliating ,

moisturizing, and smoothing effect, and

5. find out the economic value analysis.

Hypotheses

1. There were no significant differences in the acceptability of body scrub using

Soursop among three (3) treatments in terms of appearance, fragrance and abrasiveness.
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2. There were no significant differences in the sensory qualities of body scrub

using Soursop among the three (3) treatments when applied in terms of exfoliating,

moisturizing, and smoothing effect.

Significance of the Study

This study aims to significantly open avenues of new perspectives in the

cosmetics formulation industry by considering natural ingredients which were widely

available in the country. Results of this study mainstreams the low-cost but effective

body scrub product from soursop fruit. More so, the results of this research study are

deemed beneficial to the following: Beauticians, Cosmetics Industry, Cosmetology

Instructors, Cosmetology Students, Soursop Cultivators, and future researchers.

Beauticians. The result of this may provide new beauty and personal care product

concepts among beauticians, especially in terms of body scrub in their spa service

offerings which may give new trend of services that they may offer among their clients.

Cosmetology Industry. The result of this study may provide the cosmetics

industry an input that soursop fruit may be added as an organic ingredient in the

formulation of new body scrub product that suits to the demand pertaining to organic

concerns.

Cosmetology Instructors. The result of this study may provide new avenue

among cosmetology teachers in designing a research-based approach product

development using locally available and abundant flora in line to cosmetics such as body

scrub.
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Cosmetology Students. The result of the study may help cosmetology students to

enhance their resourcefulness and use other fruit seeds as an essential ingredient in

making beauty products like body scrub.

Soursop Cultivators. The result of this study may provide soursop cultivators an

additional livelihood by cultivating soursop and becoming one of the suppliers in

addressing the rising demand of the aforesaid tree fruit in the cosmetics industry.

Other Researchers. The result of this study may serve as a benchmark in

discovering various potential organic products using the available vegetation as main

ingredient for cosmetics making especially body scrub. Also, the process wherein this

study underwent may serve as pathway among researchers in doing the same research

endeavor.

Scope and Limitations of the Study

This study was limited to the development of body scrub using soursop fruit seeds

and skin peelings as the main ingredients. This study, as well, was limited to the

development of three treatments using varying amounts of soursop fruit seeds and skin

peelings powder. The factors used in evaluating the acceptability of the product were the

following: appearance, fragrance, and abrasiveness. In terms of sensory qualities of the

product, factors such as exfoliating effect, moisturizing effect and smoothing effect were

used. A five-point sensory evaluation scale was used in evaluating the product.

Also, there were 100 evaluators who enjoined in the assessment of the product

and they were cosmetology instructors which has been considered as experts, and as to
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the consumers, the evaluators were composed of beautician, teachers, housewives and

cosmetology students.

The statistical tools used in this study for the descriptive analysis of data was the

mean, and for the inferential analysis of data, t-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)

were used. Inferential analysis treatment was set at 0.05 level of significance.

Definition of Terms

To facilitate ease of understanding among readers, the following terms were

defined conceptually and operationally:

Abrasiveness refers to the quality of the product of being slightly rough

(Muddana, 2019).

In this study, abrassiveness referred to one of the factors used in evaluating the

acceptability of the product which was the body scrub and was evaluated using a five-

point sensory evaluation scale.

Appearance refers to the qualities of shape, color, and size of a product which

influence customers’ perceptions of value (Muddana, 2019).

In this study, appearance referred to one of the factors used in evaluating the acceptability

of the product which was the body scrub and was evaluated using a five-point sensory

evaluation scale.

Body scrub refers to a cosmetic product that contains slightly rough material that

can remove dead skin cells (Ervina, Santoso, Prasetyo, Setyaningsih and Tarman, 2019)

In this study, body scrub referred to developed product of this study.

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Exfoliating effect the process of removing dead skin cells through a shedding

effect from the surface of the skin using a chemical or a granular substance (Longhurst,

2018).

In this study, exfoliating effect referred to one of the factors used in evaluating the quality

of the product which was the body scrub after its application and was evaluated using a

five-point sensory evaluation scale.

Fragrance refers to the complex combinations of natural and/or man-made

substances that are added to many consumer products to give them a distinctive scent

(Cosmetics Info, 2016).

In this study, fragrance referred to one of the factors used in evaluating the acceptability

of the product which was the body scrub and was evaluated using a five-point sensory

evaluation scale.

Moisturizing effect refers to the moistening or hydrating effect on skin which

enhance skin hydration, smoothness, softness and flexibility (Purnamawati, Indrastuti,

Danarti, & Saefudin, 2017).

In this study, moisturizing effect referred to one of the factors used in evaluating the

quality of the product which was the body scrub after its application and was evaluated

using a five-point sensory evaluation scale.

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Smoothing effect refers to the rejuvenation of smooth skin texture and lessening

of markings on the skin (Longhurst, 2019).

In this study, smoothing effect referred to one of the factors used in evaluating the quality

of the product which was the body scrub after its application and was evaluated using a

five-point sensory evaluation scale.

Soursop (Annona muricata L.) refers to a type of tree native to tropical regions

that bears prickly green fruit with a creamy texture with a strong flavor (Link, 2017).

In this study, soursop referred to the main ingredient used in making body scrub.