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

Regulation (EU) 2022/2195 – Updates to cosmetic ingredients use requirements

Ingredients: BHT, ACID YELLOW 3, HOMOSALATE, HAA299 and RESORCINOL

Date of publication: 11/11/2022

Date of application: 01/07/2023

Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/2195 of November 2022 amends Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, restricting the use of BHT, Acid Yellow 3, Homosalate, HAA299 and Resorcinol, in cosmetic products.

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 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.

French labelling requirement for leave-on products containing Phenoxyethanol repealed

Ingredients: PHENOXYETHANOL

The EU Court of Justice repealed the French requirement for the labelling of the precautionary measurement “Not to be used on the nappy-skin area of children under 3 years of age” on leave-on cosmetic products containing Phenoxyethanol. Therefore, the labelling restriction related to Phenoxyethanol is officially not mandatory for products imported into France.

Regulation (EU) 2022/692 – OMNIBUS ACT VI – New and Updated Classification of Cosmetic Ingredients

Ingredients: BENZOPHENONE, TEOPHYLLINE, MELAMINE, AZADIRACHTA EXTRACTS, TRIMETHYLOLPROPANE TRIACRYLATE, PENTETIC ACID, PENTASODIUM PENTETATE

Date of publication: 03/05/2022

Date of application: 01/12/2023

The Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/692 includes new or updated classification for 12 chemicals that may be used as cosmetic ingredients. Seven out of these 12 are now classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction (CMR) and are banned from cosmetic products marketed in the EU.

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.