US - FDA Publishes Proposed Rule on Detecting Asbestos in Talc-Containing Cosmetic Products
On 27th December 2024, the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) published a Proposed Rule on ‘Testing Methods for Detecting and Identifying Asbestos in Talc-Containing Cosmetic Products’. This measure responds to requirements set out in section 3505 of the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 (MoCRA).
Currently, the FDA does not require specific methods to test for asbestos, a known human carcinogen, in cosmetic products. The Proposed Rule would require manufacturers of talc-containing cosmetic products to test for asbestos using an analytical approach that includes both Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM) (with dispersion staining) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)/Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS)/Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED). The Proposed Rule is currently under a comment period of 90 days (starting from the date of its publication in the Federal Register), with an end date on 27th March 2025.
The Proposed Rule can be found here.
New ISO Methods for SPF Testing Published
ISO 23675:2024 - Cosmetics — Sun protection test methods — In vitro determination of sun protection factor (SPF)
This test is not only animal-free, but more reliable, cost-effectiuve and faster than the reference in vivo method.This document specifies a method for the in vitro determination of sun protection factor (SPF).
ISO 23698:2024 - Cosmetics — Measurement of sunscreen efficacy by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy
This document provides a procedure to characterize the sun protection factor (SPF), UVA protection factor (UVA-PF) and critical wavelength (CW) protection of sunscreen products without requiring biological responses.
ISO standards are voluntary and do not have to be adopted everywhere, so adoption will vary based on territory.
