In April 2003, an exhaustive reevaluation of all the colourants used in hair dyes in Europe has been launched. At stake: to improve the safety level for consumers through the writing of a new regulation, to lower both the toxic and allergic risks, frequent for this kind of ingredients. A new step in this process, with the vote of a new Directive, which regulates 24 new substances.
Following the release of a study, in 2001, which linked hair dyes and bladder cancer, the European Commission asked the SCCS to reevaluate all the hair colourants.
The first targeted were the dyes substances used in oxidative products (perms), which make 70 to 80% of the market in Europe.
Up to now, 180 substances have already been banned, and 52 more come with restrictions for use.
The Directive 2012/21, just approved, modifies again the Annex II (banned substances) and the Annex III (substances subjected to restrictions) of the Cosmetics Directive 76/768.
In Annex II, an entry has been added. In Annex III, 26 entries have been added.
Annex II, a new entry
• HC Red n°16, CAS: 160219-76-1
Annex III, 24 added entries
• N,N-bis(2-Hydroxyethyl)-p-Phenylenediamine Sulfate, CAS: 54381-16-7
• 4-Chlororesorcinol, CAS: 95-88-5
• Tetraaminopyrimidine Sulfate, CAS: 5392-28-9
• Hydroxyethyl-p-Phenylenediamine Sulfate, CAS: 93841-25-9
• Dihydroxyindole, CAS: 3131-52-0
• 5-Amino-4-Chloro-o-Cresol HCl, CAS: 110102-85-7
• 6-Hydroxyindole, CAS: 2380-86-1
• Isatin, CAS: 91-56-5
• 2-Amino-3-Hydroxypyridine, CAS: 16867-03-1
• 1-Acetoxy-2-Methylnaphthalene, CAS: 5697-02-9
• 2-Methyl-1-Naphthol, CAS: 7469-77-4
• Acid Yellow 1, CAS: 846-70-8
• 4-Nitro-o-Phenylenediamine, CAS: 99-56-9
• HC Red n°7, CAS: 24905-87-1
• HC Yellow n°4, CAS: 59820-43-8
• HC Yellow n°2, CAS: 4926-55-0
• …
