FORMULATION OF ANTIBACTERIAL SHOWER GEL INCORPORATING EXTRACTS FROM BITTER MELON (MOMORDICA CHARANTIA L.) AND TEA LEAVES ESSENTIAL OIL (MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLI C.)

Cosmetics derived from natural sources have been receiving much research attention recently, especially specialized products that support moisturizing or antibacterial properties and contain medicinal herbs, such as bitter melon or tea tree essential oil. In Vietnam,bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) is wellknown and utilized for cosmetic and healthrelated use. In addition, the essential oil of tealeaves (Melaleuca Alternifoli C.) is known to have antibacterial qualities, making it appropriate for a variety of common dermatological problems, including acne. To create eco-friendly cosmetics derived from natural sources, the research team first created a shower gel with extracts from bitter melon and tea leaves essential oils. The ingredients included bitter melon extract (5.0%), tea tree essential oil (0.4%), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (1.5%), cocamidopropyl betaine (4.0%), glycerin (3.0%), triethanolamine (0.4%), citric acid (0.1%), sodium benzoate (0.2%) and distilled water (q.s to 100%). The shower gel is light brown, homogeneous, smooth, transparent, anddoes not separate. It has a pleasant fragrance and satisfies the quality requirements for cosmetics. Additionally, the product is safe for human skin because its pH ranges from 4.5 to 6.