Abstract:

The chemical risk substances involved in the safety assessment of cosmetics were summarized. The requirements for impurities in restricted and approved substances were specified in the “Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics”, and the possible risk substances in raw materials in the standards of cosmetics raw materials, domestic and foreign research and literature were presented. It is concluded that many approved colorants contain risk substances, however, there are little detection methods of these impurities. Although there are many product standards of dyes or food additives, no cosmetic raw material standard of approved colorants is released. The quality indicators of most dyes or food additives do not match the requirements of “Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics”. It is indicated that many risk substances that may be contained in common raw materials are prohibited substances in cosmetics, which come from degradation, introduction of raw materials, by-products of chemical reaction, et al. Most of these impurities have determination standards or literature testing methods. Since there are no residue requirements in standard or assessment for chlorotoluene, nitromethane and other risk substances which rare prohibited substances in cosmetics, it is necessary to calculate the MoS, LCR or AEL according to their toxicological data and exposure dose during the safety assessment, in order to judge the safety of the product. In the future, with the in-depth development of raw material safety assessment, more and more risk substances would be found. It is suggested to strengthen the research of cosmetics raw materials, especially the quality standards of approved colorants and the detection methods of their risk substances, so as to enrich the system of cosmetics standards.

Key words: cosmetics, safety assessment, risk substances, determination