France turns the spotlight to Glyoxylic Acid in hair straightening products

Ingredients: GLYOXYLIC ACID

Date of publication: 16/10/2024

On October 16, 2024, the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) issued a warning about products containing glyoxylic acid, which is commonly used in hair styling cosmetics for straightening and curling treatments.

What’s new?

The ANSES report highlighted four cases of acute kidney failure associated with the use of Glyoxylic Acid-containing products, as identified through France’s national cosmetovigilance system.

What now?

Currently, Glyoxylic Acid is not restricted or banned in the European Union or the United Kingdom, nor is it included in any upcoming regulatory restrictions. However, based on findings from assessments by France’s Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs, and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) and the Directorate General for Health (DGS), the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) may be called upon to evaluate its safety.

Although ANSES’s final conclusions are still pending, both the DGCCRF and the DGS currently advise against using hair straightening products containing Glyoxylic Acid due to the associated risks.

References:

ANSES (2024). Warning on the risks of hair straightening products containing glyoxylic acid

other REGULATORY UPDATES

SCCS consultation on opinion about Salicylic Acid

Ingredients: SALICYLIC ACID

Date of publication: 15/12/2022

On December 15, 2022, the EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) released the preliminary opinion on Salicylic Acid (CAS No. 69-72-7). This opinion is open for comments until February 17, 2023.

Regulation (EU) 2022/1531 – OMNIBUS ACT V – applicable as of 17 December 2022

Ingredients: METHYL SALICYLATE, SODIUM HYDROXYMETHYLGLYCINATE, DBMC, MIBK

Date of publication: 15/09/2022

Date of application: 17/12/2022

The European Commission has published the Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/1531, which amends the Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 as regards the use in cosmetic products of certain substances classified as CMR, by adding new entries to Annex II and Annex III and revising an entry in Annex V.

Italy and France – Environmental Labelling of Cosmetic Products

PACKAGING WASTE MANAGEMENT

Date of application:01/01/2023

Although the European Cosmetics Regulation is applicable to every cosmetic product made available in the European Union market, some national legislations may also apply. Environmental regulations in Italy and France specify mandatory labelling requirements applicable to packaged products marketed in these countries.

SCCS Preliminary Opinion on Sodium Bromothymol Blue (C186) as hair dyeing

Ingredients: SODIUM BROMOTHYMOL BLUE (C186)

Date of publication: 28/10/2022

Following the request from the EU Commission for a scientific opinion on the hair dye Sodium Bromothymol Blue (C186), on October 2022 the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) issued a preliminary opinion. In light of the data provided, when used in non-oxidative hair colouring products up to a maximum on-head concentration of 0.5%, the SCCS is of the opinion that the complete safety of Sodium Bromothymol Blue could not be assessed.

SCCS Final Opinion on the Safety of Triclocarban and Triclosan

Ingredients: TRICLOCARBAN and TRICLOSAN

Date of publication: 25/10/2022

During the plenary meeting on 24-25 October 2022, the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) presented its final opinion on the safety of Triclocarban and Triclosan as substances with potential endocrine disrupting properties in cosmetic products.

Butylphenyl Methylpropional (Lilial) ban in cosmetics comes into force in Great Britain

Ingredients: BUTYLPHENYL METHYLPROPIONAL

Date of application: 15/12/2022

Due to its classification as toxic to reproduction, Butylphenyl Methylpropional is prohibited in cosmetic products placed in the Great Britain market as of December 15, 2022.