From Federal to State: A Comprehensive Overview of Restricted and Prohibited Ingredients in U.S. Cosmetic Regulations

The safety of cosmetic products is closely linked to the safety of their ingredients. Regions such as the European Union, ASEAN, and China have developed extensive lists to manage thousands of cosmetic ingredients, including those that are banned, restricted, or permitted. In contrast, the United States has a comparatively limited approach to ingredient regulation.

At the federal level, the U.S. government imposes strict control over colorants, but only a small number of other ingredients are banned or restricted, with infrequent updates to these lists. This limited federal oversight has led individual states to introduce their own and often more stringent regulations, creating additional lists of banned or restricted ingredients. This decentralized regulatory framework, while providing additional consumer protection, creates significant challenges for companies, which must navigate the complexities of varying state-specific requirements.

To assist businesses in understanding and complying with the varying requirements across the U.S., ChemLinked has compiled a comprehensive overview of the banned and restricted ingredient lists at both the federal and state levels.