On May 16, 2023, EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) released the 12th Revision of The SCCS Notes of Guidance for the Testing of Cosmetic Ingredients and Their Safety Evaluation (the Notes of Guidance).1 Compared to its predecessor, the newly released Notes of Guidance provides updates on animal-free alternative testing methods, emphasizes aggregate exposure and children's exposure in specific ingredients' assessments, and gives instructions on assessing children's exposure to cosmetics.
The Notes of Guidance
SCCS is an independent advisory body that offers opinions on the health and safety risks of non-food consumer products. One of its responsibilities is to recommend a set of guidelines for developing adequate studies used in the safety evaluation of cosmetic ingredients. This responsibility is fulfilled through the Notes of Guidance, a document that introduces different aspects of the testing and safety evaluation of cosmetic ingredients. While its emphasis is on ingredients, it also gives indirect guidance for the safety assessment of finished products.