Cosmetic products must be safe for human use. The manufacturer or supplier of the cosmetics is responsible for ensuring they are safe.
The safety of cosmetic products is demonstrated by the cosmetic products undergoing a full safety assessment and a Cosmetic Product Safety Report being compiled before the product is placed on the market. Enforcement authorities (ie Trading Standards) may inspect these documents.
Safety assessment
Cosmetics are assessed for safety by a qualified expert (ie a safety assessor) carrying out a safety assessment. In determining whether a cosmetic products is safe for use, the safety assessor will consider all relevant information, including:
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the ingredients’ toxicity
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the ingredients’ chemical composition
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the level of exposure of the ingredients
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the exposure characteristics of the class of individuals for whom the product is intended
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the exposure characterics of the areas on which the cosmetics are intended to be applied
Cosmetic Product Safety Report
A Cosmetic Product Safety Report (CPSR) is a document which contains all information required to prove that a cosmetic product is safe to use. There is no prescribed format for a CPSR but it must follow the minimum requirements detailed in Annex 1 of the Regulations, which include the following information necessary for the CPSR to be produced:
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the cosmetic product’s quantitative and qualitative composition
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the cosmetic product’s physical and/or chemical characteristics and stability
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microbiological quality of the cosmetic product and its ingredients
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impurities of ingredients
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trace of prohibited substances and evidence for their technical unavoidability
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information about the packaging material
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normal and reasonably foreseeable use of the cosmetic product
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exposure to the cosmetic product (including where the product is to be used, how much product is to be applied and the duration and frequency of use)
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exposure to the cosmetic product’s ingredients
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toxicological profile of the cosmetic product’s ingredients
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undesirable and serious undesirable effects of the cosmetic product
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other relevant information on the cosmetic product (eg data on existing studies on human volunteers)
The CPSR must also include a conclusion to the safety assessment, with the assessors reasoning, any labelling and/or warnings required, and the safety assessor's credentials (ie their name, address and signature; proof of qualification; and the date of the assessment).
What about animal testing?
Cosmetic products sold in the UK (and Europe) are not tested on animals. This is the case regardless of whether the cosmetic makes an ‘animal friendly’ claim. Instead, a safety assessment is carried out. For more information, see the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association Ltd (CTPA) on Animal testing facts.