Ever since ECHA’s RAC (Risk Assessment Committee) came out in favor of classifying p-cymene as a Repr. 1B substance, foreshadowing a forthcoming cosmetics ban, concern has been rife about the fate of the many essential oils that contain it. At Cosmed’s 25th Regulatory Congress on March 26, 2025, DG Grow’s Sylwia Jaczewska shed light on the Commission’s point of view on this subject.
At the end of 2024, in its opinion on the Cyclamal group of substances (which includes p-cymene), the ERC accepted Sweden’s proposal to classify it as Repr. 1B, H360FD (May impair fertility; May cause harm to the unborn child). Once transcribed into an ATP (Adaptation to Technical and Scientific Progress) of the European CLP Regulation (Classification, Labeling and Packaging of Substances), this classification, which would give the substance CMR status, would, under Article 15 of the European Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009, trigger a ban on its use in cosmetics, unless exempted following a positive assessment by the SCCS.
What would then become of all the essential oils in which p-cymene is one of the constituents?
In her presentation on the Commission’s current work, Sylwia Jaczewska dwelt at length on her approach to this issue.
“The RAC’s opinion will be published soon,” she said, “and will be taken into account in ATP 25, which will be adopted in 2026, probably at the end of the year. The resulting amendment to the Cosmetics Regulation is expected to be adopted in 2027/2028. What does this mean for cosmetics?”. The Commission representative then detailed how things might work out.
