From PPWR to MoCRA, EPR and deforestation laws, it’s been a regulations-heavy time for the cosmetics industry across the globe. We recap some of the most important regulatory updates in 2023 for companies that sell in the EU, UK and beyond...
German chemicals company Symrise AG has lost its appeal against the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) at the EU’s General Court for its request to NOT test two chemicals on animals.
Swedish life sciences company SenzaGen has combined its expertise in genomics, machine learning and human tissue models, to develop testing methods that can potentially replace animal experiments for toxicological evaluations of chemicals used in beauty...
In response to the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) ‘Save Cruelty-free Cosmetics’, the Commission has outlined a roadmap to help further reduce animal testing, but activists say it’s not good enough.
Avon has announced a partnership with Cruelty Free International, which will see the global beauty brand receive approval under its 'gold standard' Leaping Bunny Programme.
A recent clinical study published in Contact Dermatitis has identified a new in-vitro testing method to discover whether fragrances could potentially trigger skin reactions, without the need for animal testing or human clinical trials.
After ongoing speculation about changes to animal testing rules in the UK, the government has banned the issuing of licences for animal testing for chemicals that are used as ingredients in cosmetics, but animal rights advocates say this action still...
Newly released research suggests snail slime mechanisms of action can impact cells at the molecular level, including cell viability and control of inflammatory events, which is of interest to manufacturers and suppliers seeking to formulate new cosmetic...
To ensure product formulations are safe and effective for end users, skin care product manufacturers may soon be able to rely on the GARDskin assay to determine if an active ingredient is a potential photoirritant to consumers’ skin.
A round-up of CosmeticsDesign-Europe’s most-read news from February 2023 shows interest in legislation around PFAs and microplastics, animal-free safety testing and predictions on hair care and biotech promise.
The level and breadth of expertise and experience across the global membership of the International Collaboration on Cosmetics Safety (ICCS) is something very unique in the field of animal-free safety testing and should fuel serious, true change, its...
A group of 35 beauty manufacturers, suppliers, industry associations and animal welfare groups have established a global collective to advance animal-free safety assessments in cosmetics worldwide.
A European Citizens’ Initiative calling to protect and strengthen the EU animal testing ban in cosmetics has surpassed one million signatures and will now be reviewed by the European Commission.
Animal welfare charity Humane Society International has published a white paper outlining a proposal to revise the EU chemicals regulation REACH, aiming to modernise the framework and drive uptake of non-animal testing methods.
Animal testing was the 20th-century answer to product safety issues, and as the 21st-century cosmetics industry turns away from it some replacements are still up in the air.
Unilever-owned international beauty brand Dove is making a final push to inspire more European consumers to align on protecting the EU’s ban on animal testing in cosmetics.
Scientists from the world’s largest beauty firms have tested new approach methodologies (NAMs) to assess skin sensitisation on several new cosmetic-relevant substances, demonstrating promise but highlighting hurdles industry still needs to overcome.
There are strong opportunities to widen use of new approach methodologies (NAMs) for chemical risk assessments on worker safety and environmental impact of cosmetics, though regulatory acceptance will require a collaborative industry-research push, say...
The trade association Cosmetics Europe and scientists from Beiersdorf, L’Oréal, Procter & Gamble and Unilever have published a study outlining a framework on using read-across as part of a next-generation method to conduct cosmetics safety assessments.
The publication of defined approaches to in silico skin sensitisation chemical assessment is a landmark moment for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) with significant implications for an animal-free future, say agency leaders.
The Long Read: In Conversation with Unilever Safety & Environmental Assurance Centre (SEAC) executives
The beauty industry continues to be stuck between conflicting requirements on animal testing, with bans under the EU Cosmetics Regulation and new data calls under the European Chemical Agency’s (ECHA) REACH Regulation, and the scientific community is...
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has published advice on how industry can reliably combine non-animal data from different sources to assess skin sensitisation of chemicals in the EU, using the new Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development...
A round-up of CosmeticsDesign-Europe’s most-read news from September 2021 shows interest in world beauty leaders creating a consortium to co-develop an environmental impact and scoring system, a new probiotic powder targeting psoriasis via the gut-skin...
A complete shift in the safety assessment of chemicals will be necessary if the EU is to uphold its ‘animal testing as a last resort’ policy under the European Chemicals Agency’s REACH regulation – a critical aspect to maintaining the wider cosmetics...
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have adopted a resolution vote calling on the European Commission to establish an EU-wide action plan to actively phase out animal experiments – a move that adds weight to the cosmetics industry’s fight to protect...
Industry must continue raising its concerns around the interface between ECHA and the Cosmetics Regulation on animal testing because there are issues that need to be debated and solutions found, says the director-general of Cosmetics Europe.
The Body Shop and Dove combining their scale and size brings a collective power to push forward calls to protect the EU’s existing animal testing ban on cosmetics, company executives say.
A study has identified a number of EU cosmetic ingredients tested on animals since the Cosmetics Regulation ban; data largely collected to prove worker and environmental safety under REACH or because alternative testing methods were rejected, researchers...
An animal-free testing strategy for predicting skin sensitisation and allergen potency co-developed by chemistry major BASF and fragrance and flavour specialist Givaudan has been approved by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD),...
In-Depth Insight from Cosmetics Europe Annual Conference (CEAC) 2021
A five-year, industry-led global programme will launch next year aimed at driving and shaping future worldwide uptake and regulatory acceptance of non-animal testing alternatives in cosmetics.
A round-up of CosmeticsDesign-Europe’s most-read news from May 2021 shows interest in the fragrance potential of essential oils, Unilever’s patent-pending vegan replacement for carmine red and research from Beiersdorf and Norway dismissing digital blue...
The UK government has worked alongside the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA) and wider beauty industry to digitally issue Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certificates that should enable the export of ‘ordinary’ goods to China without...
A round-up of CosmeticsDesign-Europe’s most-read news from March 2021 shows interest in Colgate-Palmolive’s design-led innovation strategy, Garnier’s Leaping Bunny certification and L’Oréal and Typology’s green beauty objectives.
Naturalness is the most important aspect of a beauty product for consumers in Germany and France, but there are mixed views on what the term means and how it translates into cosmetics, finds natural and organic certifier Natrue.
L’Oréal’s Garnier brand has received Cruelty Free International’s Leaping Bunny approval on its entire global portfolio after months of work with its vast supplier network – a move that proves exactly what is possible on a mass beauty scale, says the...
Imported ‘ordinary’ cosmetics will not be required to undergo animal testing from May 1 this year, China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has confirmed in its finalised regulations.
The move by France to provide a government platform enabling beauty manufacturers to qualify for exemptions when exporting general-use cosmetics to China should carve out a path for other countries to follow, says a Procter & Gamble executive.
A round-up of CosmeticsDesign-Europe’s most-read news from January 2021 shows interest in blue light protection ingredients, a move from France to bypass China animal testing and market challenges around growth in the wake of COVID-19.
France has become the first EU country to qualify for exemptions on animal testing for general-use cosmetics exported to China after its National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) developed a dedicated platform enabling manufacturers...
A round-up of CosmeticsDesign-Europe’s most-read news from December 2020 shows interest in trend predictions and reflections, industry noise on EU animal testing regulations and microbiota-targeted innovation from Unilever.
A coordinated approach amongst European Union policy makers that considers research, method and validation is needed for non-animal alternative cosmetic testing to fully replace animal data, says the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).
The European Commission (EC) stands by its endorsement of calls made by the European Chemicals Agency’s (ECHA) Board of Appeal for animal data to verify worker safety of two cosmetic ingredients, despite a recent industry-signed open letter damning such...
The cosmetics industry has heavily invested in advancing non-animal safety testing methods, now efforts must turn to driving regulatory acceptance of these next-generation alternatives, says the founder of animal-free testing lab XCellR8.
Procter & Gamble, Unilever, L’Oréal and Avon are among signatories of an open statement claiming the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and its Board of Appeal is undermining the EU animal testing ban on cosmetics - a claim the agency refutes.
Australian natural beauty brand Subtle Energies is optimistic that with changing regulations it will be able to expand its business and tap into the emerging trends in China.
Vegan was the third most popular product claim made across online global cosmetics last year, carved out by niche independent beauty brands. And the claim will continue its rise as mass beauty takes it on, says Euromonitor International.
![Today, the International Collaboration on Cosmetics Safety (ICCS) is made up of 35 beauty companies, suppliers, trade associations and NGOs, though many more are in final stages of becoming members [Getty Images]](jpg/international-collaboration-on-cosmetics-safety-iccs-talks-funding-research-gaps-and-global-collaboration-2.jpg)
![The International Collaboration on Cosmetics Safety (ICCS) aims to advance the adoption of animal-free safety assessments for cosmetics and personal care products and ingredients worldwide [Getty Images]](jpg/animal-free-cosmetics-safety-testing-global-collective-international-collaboration-on-cosmetics-safety-iccs-launches-2.jpg)
![With more than 1.2 million validated votes across 22 European countries, no other European Citizens' Initiative has ever achieved this level of support [Getty Images]](jpg/european-citizens-initiative-for-cruelty-free-cosmetics-hits-1.2-million-votes-and-will-reach-european-commission-2.jpg)
![The animal welfare charity hopes its REACH revision proposal drives wider uptake and acceptance of animal-free new approach methodologies (NAMs) for cosmetics safety assessment [Getty Images]](jpg/humane-society-international-reach-revision-proposal-calls-for-echa-procedural-technical-and-structural-change-2.jpg)
![The European Citizens' Initiative calling on the European Commission to protect and strengthen the existing EU animal testing ban on cosmetics closes on August 31, 2022 and Dove is calling for more EU consumers to sign [Getty Images]](jpg/animal-testing-ban-cosmetics-eu-needs-protection-via-european-citizens-initiative-says-dove-2.jpg)
![Scientists from Beiersdorf, Chanel, Estée Lauder, Henkel, Kao, L’Oréal, LVMH, Pierre Fabre, Procter & Gamble, Shiseido, Unilever have tested New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) for skin sensitisation on new substances [Getty Images]](jpg/skin-sensitisation-testing-with-new-approach-methodologies-nams-requires-deeper-understanding-2.jpg)
![New approach methodologies (NAMs) have already been well-proven for animal-free cosmetic product and ingredient safety testing, but should now be accepted as 'scientifically robust' for testing worker safety and environmental impact [Getty Images]](jpg/animal-free-chemical-risk-assessment-for-cosmetics-possible-with-collaborative-push-say-toxicology-experts-2.jpg)
![The framework 'built on' existing methods, providing an exposure-driven and evidence-based approach for next generation risk assessment in cosmetics [Getty Images]](jpg/cruelty-free-cosmetic-safety-testing-needs-next-generation-risk-assessment-framework-say-cosmetics-europe-and-beauty-brands-2.jpg)
![The OECD's guideline on in silico defined approaches to assess skin sensitisation is being praised as a landmark achievement [Getty Images]](jpg/oecd-skin-sensitisation-defined-approaches-guideline-a-landmark-in-animal-free-future-2.jpg)
![Decades of scientific work has advanced capabilities of in vitro safety assessment of chemicals, but these methods can't be used to their full potential because regulatory frameworks still need to catch up [Getty Images]](jpg/cruelty-free-cosmetics-future-needs-regulatory-catch-up-and-collaboration-say-unilever-execs-2.jpg)
![The OECD guideline outlines defined approaches for skin sensitisation assessment using in silico (computer simulation) methods and wider application under REACH will advance use of non-animal test methods, according to ECHA [Getty Images]](jpg/echa-advice-on-oecd-non-animal-skin-sensitisation-assessment-to-help-apply-under-eu-reach-regulation-2.jpg)
![Non-animal methods (NAMs) have to be fast prioritised in EU chemicals testing under REACH and much can be learned from the US Environmental Protection Agency [Getty Images]](jpg/unilever-paper-calls-for-eu-paradigm-shift-towards-non-animal-chemicals-safety-assessment-2.jpg)
![MEPs have adopted a resolution vote that will add political pressure to the European Commission to respond, proving important for the cosmetic industry's fight to uphold its existing EU animal testing ban [Getty Images]](jpg/european-parliament-adopts-resolution-vote-for-european-commission-action-to-end-eu-animal-testing-2.jpg)
![Cosmetics Europe has backed the recent European Citizens' Initiative led by Dove and The Body Shop calling on further protection of the EU animal testing ban on cosmetics and will continue to directly engage with EU policy makers on the issue [Getty Images]](jpg/eu-animal-testing-cosmetics-ban-concerns-needs-high-level-policy-dialogue-says-cosmetics-europe-2.jpg)
![The Body Shop and Dove want their partnership and work with animal protection groups to inspire other beauty brands to collaborate on the issue [Getty Images]](jpg/dove-and-the-body-shop-talk-animal-testing-ban-eu-campaign-and-importance-of-collaboration-2.jpg)
![Since the 2013 EU Cosmetic Regulation ban on animal testing for cosmetic ingredients and cosmetic products, researchers found 63 REACH dossiers for cosmetic-only ingredients still conducted in vivo testing [Getty Images]](jpg/animal-testing-conflict-between-eu-cosmetic-regulation-and-echa-s-reach-regulation-says-study-2.jpg)
![The approved approach involves a three-step method for assessing skin sensitisation and a bolt-on test to predict allergen potency [Getty Images]](jpg/animal-free-testing-for-skin-sensitisation-allergen-potency-from-basf-and-givaudan-receives-oecd-approval-2.jpg)
![The New Science Programme will be coordinated by a central advisory board and aims to drive forward non-animal safety assessment capabilities, regulatory use of these alternatives, and education and training across industry [Getty Images]](jpg/cosmetics-industry-unveils-animal-free-safety-assessment-new-science-programme-set-to-launch-2023.jpg)
![Imported ‘ordinary’ cosmetics will not be required to undergo animal testing in China from May 1. [Getty Images]](jpg/china-animal-testing-exemptions-for-testing-on-ordinary-cosmetics-start-in-may-officials-2.jpg)
![Chinese study highlights mental health challenges in atopic dermatitis, emphasising holistic patient care. [Getty Images]](jpg/chinese-research-linking-atopic-dermatitis-to-mental-health-underscores-need-for-holistic-care-2.jpg)
