Health assessment of cosmetics

Skin cream, toothpaste, shampoo - cosmetics not only include decorative cosmetics such as lipstick or make-up but also all substances and preparations which are exclusively or predominantly intended to be applied externally to the body or in the oral cavity. This also includes suntan lotions, soap and other personal care products. Their common feature is that they are used for cleaning, keeping the skin and body in good condition, as perfumes and scents or to change a person's appearance. For the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, ensuring that cosmetic products are safe for consumers to use takes top priority.

Cosmetics are not subject to approval. Certain ingredients like preservatives, colorants or UV filters have to be approved.

Producers of cosmetics must guarantee that their products do not pose any risk based on safety assessments.

The European Commission operates an internet portal via which cosmetic products have to be notified before they are marketed. Among other things, manufacturers are obliged to enter the formula of their product so that the poison centres can access the details in the course of their advisory work. Information on nano-sized ingredients must also be entered.

The Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety provides more information on the notification process at External Link:www.bvl.bund.de/EN.

Where necessary, the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment assesses the ingredients of cosmetics with regard to their health safety.