Some of them are already aware of their fate. Others are only waiting for the final cut-off date. And even if these ingredients are – at least some of them – still frequently used with interest, the industry should get ready to forget about them, and quickly, if it has not already done so.

Formaldehyde

It is not for its preserving virtues (which the industry has not defended), but actually for its nail hardener properties that the scheduled disappearance of Formaldehyde raises a problem.
This substance was classified in the CMR 1B category. Under Article 15 of the Cosmetics Regulation, it means it should be banned in cosmetics, except if it fulfils four conditions for being exempt and used ‘on an exceptional basis’:
• It should be compliant with the recommendations on the safety of foodstuffs
• There should not be any appropriate substitute available
• The request should be made for a particular use of the product category
• It should be assessed and deemed safe for use in cosmetics by the SCCS, in particular given the exposure to these products and by taking into account the overall exposure based on other sources, as well as by paying particular …