All Knowledge & Insights By Date

On April 12, 2021, the European Commission (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) published its final opinion on hydroxyapatite (nano).  The EC asked whether SCCS considers the nanomaterial hydroxyapatite safe when used in leave-on and rinse-off dermal and oral cosmetic products according to the maximum concentrations and specifications reported, taking into account reasonably foreseeable exposure conditions.  SCCS states that having considered the data provided, and...

On March 5, 2021, the European Commission’s (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) published its final opinion on copper (nano) and colloidal copper (nano).  According to the final opinion, nine manufacturers notified the EC about 36 different products containing nanosized copper.  After initial evaluation and a request for additional information, two manufacturers withdrew their products from the notification, and these seven products were excluded from evaluation,...

On January 11, 2021, the European Commission’s (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) posted a final opinion entitled Scientific Advice on the Safety of Nanomaterials in Cosmetics.  The EC requested that SCCS determine the nanomaterials, as published in the 2019 catalogue of nanomaterials, for which specific concerns can be identified and justified to establish a priority list of nanomaterials for risk assessment (Article 16(4) Reg. 1223/2009).  The final opinion...

On November 2, 2020, the European Commission (EC) requested a scientific opinion from the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) on the ultraviolet (UV) filter HAA299 (nano) (chemical name “2-(4-(2-(4-Diethylamino-2 hydroxy-benzoyl)-benzoyl)-piperazine-1-carbonyl)-phenyl)-(4-diethylamino-2-hydroxyphenyl)-methanone”).  According to the EC’s request, the applicant seeks to assess the safety of HAA299 (nano) for use as a UV filter up to a maximum concentration of...

On November 9, 2020, the European Commission (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) published two draft opinions for public comment.  In the preliminary opinion on hydroxyapatite (nano), SCCS considered whether the nanomaterial hydroxyapatite is safe when used in leave-on and rinse-off dermal and oral cosmetic products according to the reported maximum concentrations and specifications, taking into account reasonably foreseeable exposure conditions.  SCCS states that...

The European Commission’s (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) began a public consultation on October 5, 2020, on a preliminary opinion entitled Scientific Advice on the Safety of Nanomaterials in Cosmetics.  The EC requested that SCCS determine the nanomaterials, as published in the 2019 catalogue of nanomaterials, for which specific concerns can be identified and justified to establish a priority list of nanomaterials for risk assessment (Article 16(4)...

On March 23, 2020, the European Commission’s (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) announced that the fact sheet on the SCCS Guidance on the safety assessment of nanomaterials in cosmetics is now available in French, German, Italian, and Spanish.  The guidance provides recommendations for the safety assessment of nanomaterials intended for use in cosmetics and covers the main elements of risk assessment of nanomaterials in relation to possible use as cosmetic...

The European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) announced on March 3, 2020, that the April 2020 issue of Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology includes “The SCCS guidance on the safety assessment of nanomaterials in cosmetics.”  The highlights state that: The article is available for purchase through the Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology website. As reported in our November 5, 2019, blog item, SCCS published an...

The Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) announced on February 6, 2020, that the European Commission (EC) has requested scientific advice on the safety of nanomaterials in cosmetics.  The EC seeks advices on two questions: To avoid conflicting opinions with other bodies, the EC invites SCCS to consult the Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER)....

On November 22, 2019, the European Commission (EC) Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship, and Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME) requested two scientific opinions from the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS): The request for a scientific opinion on platinum (nano)-colloidal platinum (nano) and acetyl tetrapeptide-17 colloidal platinum (nano) states that the EC received 18 notifications for cosmetic products containing platinum (10 notifications)...

On November 4, 2019, the European Commission’s (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) published an updated Guidance on the Safety Assessment of Nanomaterials in Cosmetics.  The Guidance updates SCCS’s 2012 Guidance (SCCS/1484/12) on the safety assessment of nanomaterials in cosmetic products.  It covers the main elements of safety assessment — general considerations (Section 2), material characterization (Section 3), exposure assessment (Section 4), hazard...

On August 19, 2019, the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) posted a request from the European Commission (EC) for a scientific opinion on three coatings for nano zinc oxide as an ultraviolet (UV) filter in dermally applied cosmetic products — methicone, silica, and isostearic acid.  SCCS previously reviewed nano zinc oxide and the coatings triethoxycaprylylsilane, dimethicone, dimethoxydiphenylsilanetriethoxycaprylylsilane cross-polymer, and octyl triethoxy...

On July 3, 2019, the European Commission (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) published its final opinion on the solubility of synthetic amorphous silica (SAS). The EC asked whether SCCS considers that SAS materials are soluble (100 milligram per liter (mg/L) or higher) or degradable/non-persistent in biological systems in light of the nanomaterial definition of the Cosmetics Regulation. Having considered the data provided in this dossier and that available in published...

On June 25, 2019, the European Commission’s (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) posted two requests for scientific opinions:  hydroxyapatite (nano) and copper (nano) and colloidal copper (nano).  According to the mandate for hydroxyapatite (nano), the EC received 17 notifications for cosmetic products containing hydroxyapatite in nano form.  The EC states that according to the notifications, this ingredient is used in both leave-on and rinse-off dermal and...

The European Commission (EC) published on June 11, 2019, a call for data on the following ingredients used in cosmetic products:  gold (nano); colloidal gold (nano); platinum (nano); colloidal platinum (nano); copper (nano); and colloidal copper (nano).  The EC states that it has concerns about the use of nano forms of gold, colloidal gold, platinum, colloidal platinum, copper, and colloidal copper “because of the potential of nanoparticles to enter cells through dermal...

On March 15, 2019, the European Commission’s (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) published its preliminary opinion on the solubility of synthetic amorphous silica (SAS).  The EC asked whether the SCCS considers that SAS are soluble (100 milligram per liter (mg/L) or higher) or degradable/non-persistent in biological systems in light of the nanomaterial definition of the Cosmetics Regulation.  Having considered the data provided in this dossier and that available...

On November 7, 2018, the European Commission’s (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) published the tenth revision of The SCCS Notes of Guidance for the Testing of Cosmetic Ingredients and Their Safety Evaluation.  The guidance contains relevant information on the different aspects of testing and safety evaluation of cosmetic substances in Europe.  The document states that it is designed to provide guidance to public authorities and to the cosmetic industry to...

On October 26, 2018, the European Commission (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) published its final opinion on colloidal silver (nano).  According to the final opinion, the EC received 63 notifications of cosmetic products containing colloidal silver in nano form.  The final opinion states that, according to the applicants, the ingredient is used in nano uncoated form both in leave-on and rinse-off oral cosmetics products, including toothpastes and skin care products, with a...

The July 19, 2018, issue of the European Commission’s (EC) Health-EU Newsletter includes an editorial entitled “The only concern to have about sunscreen is … did you remember to put it on?” written by Qasim Chaudhry, Chair of the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) and Ulrike Bernauer, Chair of the SCCS Working Group on Nanomaterials in Cosmetic Products.  According to the editorial, nanomaterials as cosmetic ingredients serve various functions, including as...

On June 25, 2018, the European Commission’s (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) published its final opinion on styrene/acrylates copolymer (nano) and sodium styrene/acrylates copolymer (nano).  The EC received eight notifications of cosmetic ingredients containing the copolymers in nano forms.  According to the applicants, the ingredients are used in nano-coated form in leave-on cosmetic products with maximum reported concentration limits of 0.06 percent. ...