Since 2012, the battle has been raging between the ANSM on the one hand, the FEBEA, Cosmetics Europe and the SCCS on the other hand. Issue: the safety of phenoxyethanol in products intended for use on babies’ buttocks. The ANSM contests it (Recommendation and Health Police Decision in support), the SCCS confirms it (in a formal Opinion and an informal opinion), the industry defends it (through appeals before the French Council of State and interpellations of the European Commission). A few days before the date of application of the ANSM Health Police Decision (DPS) requiring labelling of products containing phenoxyethanol, the dispute was expected to be resolved soon, but it has just experienced some upheavals, through interposed communiqués. Gallant last stand?
It is nothing to say that the atmosphere is tense. This will only be demonstrated by the difficulty of obtaining interviews with the various actors involved in the controversy. Only FEBEA agreed to answer cosmeticobs.com’s questions, but that was before an ANSM press release threw a new scud into the pool of phenoxyethanol on the evening of December 12.
We will therefore only mention the facts, and the few words chosen and well weighed of the various press releases…
2012 : the ANSM Recommendation
Following a Risk Assessment of the use of phenoxyethanol in cosmetic products carried out by the ANSM, the Agency recommends that phenoxyethanol should not be used in cosmetic products for baby buttocks, and that its maximum level should be set at 0.4% for other products for children under three years of age.
> See the article Phenoxyethanol: the French ANSM questions its safety for young children, CosmeticOBS, 5 June 2012
2016 : the SCCS Opinion
The SCCS decides on the position of the ANSM and maintains that phenoxyethanol is safe at its current maximum concentration of 1% for all age groups.
> See the article Phenoxyethanol is safe, says SCCS, CosmeticOBS, 11 April 2016 …
