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On May 30, 2022, EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) released the preliminary revised opinion on the safety of Aluminium (Al) in cosmetic products. The opinion is open for comments until July 25, 2022. 1
In light of the data provided, the SCCS considers that Al compounds are safe when used in sprayable antiperspirant products, provided that the maximum percentage of particles with 10 μm diameter does not exceed 20% of the total aerosolized particles. The SCCS could not assess the safety of Al compounds in sprayable applications other than antiperspirant. These applications (including eau de toilette, eau de parfum and hair spray) are therefore excluded from this Opinion.
When used in non-sprayable product categories, the SCCS holds the opinion that Al compounds are safe at the maximum levels indicated in the table below:
| No. | Product as labelled in the model | # of Al-ingredients identified across the product types | Al concentrations (%) in products | ||
| Min | Max | Mean | |||
| 1 | After Shave | 1 | 0.00% | 2.15% | 0.59% |
| 2 | Bar Soap | 2 | 0.00% | 0.07% | 0.01% |
| 3 | Body Lotion | 10 | 0.00% | 3.81% | 0.21% |
| 4 | Body Spray | 1 | 1.10% | 1.18% | 1.12% |
| 5 | Deo Roll-on – Gel | 7 | 0.00% | 6.18% | 1.70% |
| 6 | Deo Roll-on – Roll-on | 12 | 0.00% | 5.63% | 1.45% |
| 7 | Deo Roll-on – Stick | 9 | 0.00% | 7.73% | 1.05% |
| 8 | Deo Roll-on – Wipes | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 9 | Deo Spray – Anti-perspirant | 8 | 0.00% | 3.24% | 0.32% |
| 10 | Deo Spray – Pump | 5 | 0.00% | 4.88% | 1.17% |
| 11 | Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette | 2 | 0.01% | 0.05% | 0.03% |
| 12 | Eye Shadow | 19 | 0.11% | 43.31% | 6.24% |
| 13 | Eye Liner | 16 | 0.01% | 15.76% | 2.28% |
| 14 | Face Moisturizer | 19 | 0.00% | 10.59% | 0.69% |
| 15 | Hair Spray | 1 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 16 | Hair Styling | 7 | 0.00% | 1.19% | 0.10% |
| 17 | Hand Cream | 2 | 0.00% | 0.86% | 0.30% |
| 18 | Lipstick | 19 | 0.00% | 14.62% | 1.60% |
| 19 | Liquid Hand Soap | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 20 | Liquid Makeup Foundation | 17 | 0.01% | 6.59% | 0.43% |
| 21 | Makeup Remover | 14 | 0.00% | 10.59% | 0.62% |
| 22 | Mascara | 11 | 0.00% | 3.13% | 0.53% |
| 23 | Mouthwash | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 24 | Rinse-off Conditioner | 6 | 0.00% | 7.14% | 0.12% |
| 25 | Shampoo | 7 | 0.00% | 7.14% | 0.45% |
| 26 | Shower Gel | 7 | 0.00% | 0.89% | 0.13% |
| 27 | Toothpaste | 6 | 0.00% | 3.18% | 0.07% |
The SCCS also clarifies that, as Al does not belong to substances classified as CMR 1A and B, only exposure from cosmetic uses was considered in this safety assessment. The aggregate exposure to Al from cosmetic and non-cosmetic sources may exceed safe limits.
Timeline: SCCS's Opinions on Al
March 2014: Due to the lack of adequate data on dermal penetration, the SCCS was not able to undertake the requested risk assessment of Al.
March 2021: Based on the data provided, the SCCS considered that the use of Al compounds was safe at the following equivalent Al concentrations up to:
a. 6.25% in non-spray deodorants or non-spray antiperspirants
b. 10.60% in spray deodorants or spray antiperspirants
c. 2.65% in toothpaste, and
d. 14% in lipstick
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