Testing for Prohibited or Restricted Content in Cosmetic Products

Testing for prohibited or restricted content in cosmetic products is a critical issue for companies that manufacture, distribute and import personal care and beauty products. When a product is offered to the consumer, the legal regulations and relevant standards in force must be met. In this regard, there is a need for accurate and sensitive analytical tests of prohibited or restricted content.

These tests are largely subject to the principles of the Cosmetic Product Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009, published in the European Union countries. This regulation has two important annexes:

• Annex II List of substances prohibited in cosmetic products
• ANNEX III List of substances that cosmetic products must not contain, except for specified restrictions

The regulation takes into account the latest technological developments, including the possible use of nanomaterials, and strengthens product safety. The aim of the regulation is to guarantee the safety of cosmetic products. This safety relates to composition, packaging and information.

This regulation is the main regulatory framework for finished cosmetic products offered for sale on the EU market. It establishes the rules to be applied to ensure the functioning and high level of health protection of any cosmetic product offered for sale on the European market. Only products that fully comply with the requirements of this regulation can be placed on the European market.

Products covered by the regulation are:

• Creams, emulsions, lotions, gels and skin oils
• face masks
• Foundations (liquids, pastes, powders)
• Perfumes, cologne
• Bath and shower products (salts, foams, oils, gels)
• Hygienic talcum powder
• Toilet soaps, deodorant soaps
• Depilatory products, deodorants and antiperspirants
• Hair dyes, curling, straightening and fixing agents, hair styling products
• Lotions, talc, cleansing shampoos, conditioners
• Lotions, sprays, hair care products
• Make-up and make-up remover lotions
• lotions for lips
• oral care products
• Nail care and manicure products
• Tanning products, tanning lotions
• Skin whitening and anti-wrinkle products
• Shaving products (creams, foams, lotions)
• Intimate hygiene products for external use

Products that are not covered by the regulation are:

• Pharmaceutical products
• Medical products (drugs)
• Biocidal products

According to Cosmetic Product Regulation No. 1223/2009, the cosmetic product safety report must include:

• Qualitative and quantitative indicators of cosmetic products, including chemical traces of substances and their intended use
• Physical/chemical properties and stability of cosmetic products
• Physical and chemical properties of substances or mixtures and cosmetic products
• Sustainability of cosmetic products under normally predictable storage conditions
• Microbiological properties of substances or mixtures and cosmetic products in general
• Protection test results
• All relevant toxicological absorption methods should be taken into account, systemic effects and safety margins
• All available data on undesirable and serious adverse effects of cosmetic products or, where applicable, other cosmetic products
• Information about cosmetic products
• Current risk assessment studies

Testing represents an important part of the cosmetic product registration process. Cosmetic products must pass all the necessary tests defined in EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009 in order to be compliant and, importantly, to prove that they are safe for use under reasonably foreseeable conditions. There are three main types of tests for cosmetic products within the scope of this regulation:

• Physical, chemical and microbiological tests
• Challenge test (protective effectiveness test)
• Stability and compatibility tests

These tests are often the most time-consuming part of the cosmetic product registration process. For the product to pass the test, the protection system must be effective enough to reduce the level of microorganisms to permissible, predefined microbial limits.

given to businesses by our organization Among the numerous testing, measurement, analysis and evaluation studies, there are also prohibited or restricted content testing services in cosmetic products.