During the last week of June 2015, the Scientific Committee on Consumer’s Safety (SCCS) were requested to pronounce on the safety of four different cosmetics ingredients of potential concern, as used in various cosmetics formulations:
- Hydroxyapatite in its nano form, used in teeth care products
- Vitamin A (retinol, retinyl palmitate, retinyl acetate, retinyl linoleate and retinal), a common ingredient in face creams
- The hair dye N,N’-Bis-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2- nitro-p-phenylamine (B34)
- The hair dye HC Red No. 18 (B124) (FPK 245)
The opinion on Hydroxyapatite in its nano form should be issued within 6 months from the reception of the request – end of December 2015 –, for the rest there is no specific deadline.
How does the SCCS function?
The SCCS is the body designated by the European Commission (EC) to evaluate health and safety risks of non-food consumer products, such as cosmetics.
When the EC identifies a potential risk regarding a non-food product, it requests the SCCS to issue its opinion on it. The SCCS panel of experts carefully evaluates the information provided by the industry stakeholders, discusses all the relevant health and safety concerns and reaches a conclusion on the potential risk.
Consequences of an SCCS opinion
The issuance of an SCCS opinion on a cosmetic ingredient has relevant consequences on the cosmetics EU regulatory frame:
- Following the SCCS conclusions, the European Commission may eventually amend the annexes of the EU cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009 modifying the existing bans and restrictions on cosmetic ingredients.
- The Safety Assessors should take into account the conclusions reached by the SCCS when evaluating the safety of cosmetic products
- The SCCS opinions are also very important for the cosmetics industry, which should consider adapting their products accordingly to be prepared for probable regulatory changes
With more than 25 years of regulatory experience, it will be our pleasure to help and advise you on regulatory updates for the EU market, SCCS opinions and cosmetic ingredients in the EU. If you would like to know more on cosmetics products regulatory compliance, please contact us.