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) 2022/692 – 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.

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.

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.

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.

Update on the classification and labelling of Titanium Dioxide in powder form

Ingredients: TITANIUM DIOXIDE

Date of publication: 23/11/2022

The EU General Court annuls the Commission Delegated Regulation of 2019 in so far as it concerns the harmonised classification and labelling of Titanium Dioxide as a carcinogenic substance by inhalation in certain powder forms.