Health concerns raised over two cosmetic preservatives
The EU scientific committee on consumer products (SCCP) has concluded that the inclusion of commonly used cosmetics preservative triclosan is unsafe at currently approved levels for leave-on products such as body lotions. Triclosan can currently be used up to a maximum concentration of 0.3% for all cosmetic products, but the committee said this was “not safe for the consumer because of the magnitude of the aggregate exposure”. However, this maximum concentration is considered safe for hand soaps, body soaps, shower gels, deodorant sticks, face powders and blemish concealers, the SCCP said in a report.
The EU scientific committee on consumer products (SCCP) has concluded that the inclusion of commonly used cosmetics preservative triclosan is unsafe at currently approved levels for leave-on products such as body lotions. Triclosan can currently be used up to a maximum concentration of 0.3% for all cosmetic products, but the committee said this was “not safe for the consumer because of the magnitude of the aggregate exposure”. However, this maximum concentration is considered safe for hand soaps, body soaps, shower gels, deodorant sticks, face powders and blemish concealers, the SCCP said in a report.
The committee has reached a similar conclusion regarding another cosmetics preservative, climbazole, which currently has a maximum usage concentration of 0.5% for all cosmetic products. This too, concluded the committee “cannot be considered safe” for leave-on products such as body lotions although when used as a preservative in hair cosmetics and face cosmetics at these concentrations, “climbazole does not pose a risk to [consumer] health,” said another committee report.