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News:Publications

IARC classifies Butyraldehyde in Group 2B

On March 27, 2026, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) announced the publication in The Lancet Oncology of the results of its assessment of the carcinogenicity of Butyraldehyde, a fragrance ingredient.

Two new standards for SPF measurement

The two long-awaited new standards, alternatives to ISO 24444 for measuring SPF in cosmetic products, were published on 19 December 2024. They are now available in the International Organization for Standardization’s online shop.

A study questions the safety of "dermatological" cosmetics

A recent French study, published in the Journal Annales de Dermatologie et de Vénéréologie - FMC, scrutinised the INCI lists of cosmetics used in dermatology. The results: only 15% of them were free of ingredients of concern to the target population.

Essential oils: EDQDM publishes a revised version of its Guidance

The EDQM (European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & Healthcare), a body of the Council of Europe, has just published the second version of its “Guidance on essential oils in cosmetic products”, a reference document on best practices for safety assessment.

IARC classifies Methyl eugenol in Group 2A and Isoeugenol in Group 2B

On 13 September 2024, the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) published Volume 134 of its Monographs, with the results of its evaluation of the carcinogenicity of Methyl Eugenol and Isoeugenol, two fragrance ingredients commonly used in cosmetics.

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

DIY sunscreens: attention, danger!

Social media have changed the way people seek and share health information. Recent consumer interest in natural, organic, and ethically-made personal ...

Wednesday, May 15, 2019

When used properly, sun creams do not block the synthesis of vitamin D

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Should we choose between preventing sunburn and the development of skin cancer with sunscreen, or expose ourselves without protection to promote the s...

Thursday, May 2, 2019

How to select the best technique to identify nanomaterials

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JRC scientists have developed, together with partners from the NanoDefine project, a unique categorisation scheme which matches material properties wi...

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Limonene and Linalool hydroperoxides: Exposure source for skin sensitizing remains elusive

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IDEA’s work on a market surveillance study on Limonene and Linalool hydroperoxides in finished consumer products has been published in Food and Chemic...

Monday, February 25, 2019

These UV filters that do not harm corals

Ultraviolet (UV) filters, which are common constituents of sunscreens and other cosmetics, are reported as a threat for coastal coral reef ecosystems....

Tuesday, February 19, 2019

Definition of a nanomaterial: a JRC report

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The European Joint Research Centre (JRC) has just published a report to clarify the key concepts and terms used in the definition of a nanomaterial gi...

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Do microplastics harm humans?

About 8 million metric tons of plastic waste winds up in the oceans every year — bottles, bags and doo-dads including those from the cosmetics industr...

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Drink coffee to prevent rosacea?

New research has found that caffeine from coffee may help to prevent rosacea, a common chronic inflammatory skin disease where the skin appears red an...

Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Mineral oils in cosmetics: Health risks are not to be expected (BfR)

On July 2, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) published the English version of its Opinion No. 008/2018 of 27 February 2018 on min...

Monday, July 9, 2018

Moisturiser with SPF less effective than a sunscreen to protect skin

If you’re using moisturizer with SPF instead of sunscreen you may not be sufficiently protecting your skin, warns study. New UK research has highlight...

Tuesday, April 3, 2018

Hormone-disrupting effect of parabens still unclear, says RIVM

RIVM has just published the results of its recent study on parabens. The Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment has cond...

Monday, February 12, 2018

Women now aiming for toned rather than thin as ideal body shape suggests study

Beauty standards have changed over recent years according to new research, with women now preferring a slim but muscular figure over simply being thin...