Classification of substances as ingredients of cosmetic products is recommended by the Scientific Committee on Cosmetology on the basis of evaluations of data provided pursuant to the Guidelines on the Safety Assessment of Cosmetic Ingredients. The overriding consideration is that the substances should be safe for consumer use under conditions of intended exposure at the relevant concentrations.

Candidate substances for the positive lists must not be used until a final classification in Group 1 has been made. For substances already in use, the classification may be reconsidered if necessary.

For substances in provisional lists for which there are insufficient data for a final safety assessment, additional information must be adequate and provided within a specified time limit. Otherwise it is concluded that no further use of the substance in cosmetic products should be allowed for the specified purpose.

Group 1 :

Substances for which data at the time of assessment support the conclusion that they do not pose a health hazard. They may be used in cosmetic products for the designated purposes and in concentrations not exceeding the limits indicated.

Group 2 :

Substances which must not be used in cosmetic products. Substances may be included in this group because either

a) the available data support the conclusion that they constitute a health hazard or

b) the available data do not justify the assumption that their use in cosmetic products can be considered safe.