Until recently, the safety of cosmetic and personal care products seemed as a subject of relatively little disagreement. Consumers did not really care about the safety of their body moisturizers or lipsticks. However, recently an increasing pressure for safe products is being felt by the industry manufacturers via rising numbers of alarmist messages in various mass media. For instance, consumers are becoming aware of the importance of personal care products safety via the actions of associations such as the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, the Environmental Working Group Skin Deep Program, or the Skin Health Program of the Canadian Dermatology Association (CDA).
In addition, the safety of cosmetic and personal care products is also scrutinized by legislative bodies such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) via warning letters. Various programs also exist to monitor and evaluate ingredients and products safety. For instance, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) program was established by the Cosmetics, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association (CTFA) with the support of the FDA and the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) to perform independent, expert reviews that evaluate if ingredients used in cosmetics are safe. Health Canada has an Ingredients Hot List – an administrative list of substances that are restricted and prohibited in cosmetics. Moreover, the European Union has recently published the updated Cosmetic Regulation 1223/2009 that offers strict and detailed measures that must be followed by all European manufactures.
It becomes increasingly important to accurately inform and educate consumers to avoid misinformation and alarmist situations. Manufactures of cosmetics and personal care products have the responsibility of ensuring that their products are safe. What is the position of your company in terms of product safety?
Evalulab is an independent testing laboratory that can help you by performing a full safety and toxicology assessment of your products and by providing you with a Product Safety Report.
Contact me for details at ekulig@evalulab.com or via phone at 514-735-3253.
It will be a pleasure to answer all your questions!
