Food and Health E-ssentials

EU COMMISSION AMENDS COSMETIC REGULATION

The Commission of the European Union has issued two regulations amending certain provisions of its regulation on cosmetic products.

Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/1858 amends Annex V of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 to permit the use of hydroxyethoxyphenyl butanone (HEPB) as a preservative in rinse off, oral care and leave-on cosmetic products, at a maximum concentration of 0.7%.

Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/1857 amends Annex VI of 1223/2009 to clarify the safe use of titanium dioxide as an ultraviolet filter in cosmetic products. Specifically, the Regulation now considers the use of titanium dioxide coated with certain concentrations of either silica and cetyl phosphate, alumina and manganese dioxide, or alumina and triethoxycaprylylsilane as safe to use in certain cosmetic products. However, the Regulation also restricts the use of alumina and manganese dioxide in lip products, due to possible risks associated with the ingestion of that substance.

Both Regulations were published in early November in the Official Journal of the European Union and enter into force as of the end of the month.

The text of the Regulation amending Annex V as published in the Official Journal is available here. The text of the Regulation amending Annex VI is available here.