Expert analytical laboratory testing for prohibited or restricted substances in cosmetic products to help you ensure safety and regulatory compliance

The control of prohibited or restricted substances in cosmetic products is a critical concern for manufacturers, distributors and importers of personal care and beauty products. Current regulations in the region relevant to your product market launch must be met and this demands the need for accurate and sensitive analytical determination of prohibited or restricted substances.

Our cosmetic testing experts provide cost-effective testing programs following official methodology to meet your specific product development needs. Services include routine screening and testing for substances on the prohibited substances list, such as formaldehyde which was added to the list of substances prohibited in cosmetic products (Annex II) of the Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009. Annex III of the same regulation lists substances which cosmetic products must not contain except subject to the restrictions specified. Common analytical requirements for prohibited or restricted substances include:

Free Formaldehyde Quantification
Whilst formaldehyde is prohibited, preservatives listed in Annex V called ’’formaldehyde releasers’’ are still allowed in cosmetic products as long as the formaldehyde concentration in the finished product does not exceed 0.05%. We provide accurate and robust formaldehyde analytical testing to ensure the safety of your innovative beauty products using High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methodology with post-column derivatization. 

Heavy Metals Determination
Annex II of Regulation (EC) 1223 / 2009 prohibits the use of heavy metals and heavy metals compounds containing lead, cadmium, arsenic, antimony and mercury except for some mercury compounds are permitted to be used as preservatives. We provide rapid and accurate testing using Inductively Coupled Plasma - Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) or Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) to meet your heavy metals analysis requirements.

Fragrance Allergens
Labelling the presence of fragrance allergens in cosmetic products is a legal requirement; specifically 0.001% for leave-on products and 0.01% for rinse-off products. Our team have developed a 57 allergen screening method using an advanced gas chromatography method for sensitive and specific allergen identification and quantification.

Phthalates in Raw Materials or Products
Phthalate trace level detection analysis, conducted by our analytical teams can screen for the presence of phthalates and also determine the levels of a range of phthalates in your cosmetic products or raw materials.

Parabens and Phenoxyethanol
Parabens and Phenoxyethanol are well known and accepted preservatives in cosmetics and have been in use for over 50 years. Use of these substances is approved and controlled by the EU Regulation. Approved Methodology: HPLC

1,4-Dioxane Quantification
Although its use is banned, 1,4-Dioxane can be generated during the manufacture of ethoxylated surfactants, e.g. Sodium laureth sulfate, or sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES), commonly found in shampoos, deodorants, toothpastes and bath products. To help you meet regulatory compliance requirements our experts provide Headspace Gas Chromatography- Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) in raw materials and formulated products.

Bringing Quality and Safety to Life
Our cosmetic testing experts provide cost-effective and robust analytical services to help you understand precisely the presence and levels of restricted or prohibited substances in your products. Alongside our laboratory testing solutions we provide complete stewardship through consumer healthcare trials, which include tests for safety, efficacy and claim support and also safety and toxicological assessment consultancy and reporting.