E-commerce and EU cosmetic regulation
We live on an era that all things are accessible with a simple click. We can buy almost anything on the internet, but are all things available safe or according to Regulations?

For a cosmetic product to be sold on the European Union it must be in compliance with the Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products, have a compliant Product Information File (PIF) and it has to be notified in the Cosmetic Product Notification Portal (CPNP). Besides, only cosmetic products for which a legal or natural person is designated within the EU as ‘responsible person’ shall be placed on the market (Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009). A safety assessment report must be carried out (and included in the PIF) by a person properly qualified, fulfilling the requirements of Article 10(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2003. These obligations are valid to brand owners and distributors of cosmetic products, i.e., companies that make the cosmetic products available on the market.

These conditions apply to all cosmetic products made available on the European Union, which means, they apply not only on physical stores but also on the internet. E-commerce is comparable to opening a store in each country where the company ships their product. As the final consumer is on the EU, it is not relevant if the website is EU or non-EU established, and all the cosmetic products must obey to Regulation. In addition, even samples from cosmetic products distributed (sold or not) in physical stores or online stores must have a CPNP number and comply with Regulation.

further
reading

cosmetic products

P-Cymene may soon be banned from cosmetics

Ingredient: P-CYMENE

Date of publication: 10/1/2025

P-cymene may be banned from cosmetics as its proposed classification as Reprotoxic 1B is under review and is expected to be approved.

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cosmetic products

SCCS Preliminary Opinion on Benzophenone-1 (BP-1)

Ingredient: BENZOPHENONE-1

Date of publication: 25/10/2024

On October 25 2024, the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) could not conclude on the safety of UV absorber Benzophenone-1 (BP-1) due to insufficient data. The deadline for comments is set to January 13, 2025.

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cosmetic products

UK – OPSS Releases Statuatory Instrument on CMR Substances and Kojic Acid

Ingredients: CMR SUBSTANCES AND KOJIC ACID

Date of publication: 17/12/2024

On December 17, 2024, UK’s Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) published the Cosmetic Products (Restriction of Chemical Substances) (No.2) Regulations 2024′ adding 64 substances classified as Carcinogenic, Mutagenic, or Reprotoxic (CMR) to Annex II of the UK Cosmetics Regulation (UKCR) and Kojic Acid to Annex III of the UKCR.

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cosmetic products

SCCS Preliminary Opinion on Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate (EHMC)

Ingredient: ETHYLHEXYL METHOXYCINNAMATE (EHMC)

Date of publication: 25/10/2024

On October 25 2024, the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) could not conclude on the safety of UV-filter Ethylhexyl Methocycinnamate (EHMC) due to insufficient data. The deadline for comments is set to January 17, 2025.

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