A new European Commission online cosmetic ingredients database will help companies developing new cosmetics or improving existing ones. The new database, called ‘CosIng’ (COSmetics INGredients), replaces the old PDF format list, one of the most consulted documents on the DG Enterprise website.
The European cosmetics industry is worth over £27 billion (€35 billion) per year. It is highly innovative and, on average, cosmetic companies replace or reformulate about 25% of their products every year. Cosmetic products are also important consumer products: apart from “traditional” cosmetic products, such as make-up and perfumes, the market area also includes products for personal hygiene, for example toothpaste, shampoos and soaps.
The Cosmetics Directive requires that any substance used in cosmetic products needs to be listed under an international nomenclature for ingredients. The new CosIng database contains more than 15,000 cosmetics ingredients, accessible in a user-friendly manner. In addition:
- It hyperlinks to opinions of the Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) and to the authorisation in force for substances used as colorants, preservatives and UV filters and to restrictions regarding the use of certain substances.
- It provides more information on ingredients, such as their chemical names and their internationally recognised names which must be labelled on cosmetic products.
The new public accessible CosIng database facilitates access to information by Member States’ authorities responsible for market surveillance, industry and other stakeholders.
CosIng will be updated on a regular basis in order to provide accurate information. Link to the database: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/cosmetics/cosing/
