Cosmetic formulation examples that we rejected
We've included here a few examples of cosmetic products referred to EF Chemical Consulting that we were unable to certify as safe. Admittedly, they were generally developed by less experienced companies, but in some cases they were advised by people who specialise in cosmetic formulation training. It is our policy at EF Chemical Consulting to work with the customers in these instances to modify the formulation to make it acceptable.
1. Lemon and lime lip balm
This was a wax and oil based lip balm containing 1% each of lime essential oil and lemon essential oil. Lime oil (Citrus aurantifolia oil) is phototoxic and has a maximum permitted level for leave-on products exposed to the sun of 0.7% (less if other citrus oils are present). Given the extra sensitivity of the lips, and the high exposure to sun that this product would suffer, we advised it should be reduced even further. Another issue was the high level of the skin sensitiser citral in both oils, which exceeded the maximum permitted level in the product of 0.04%. After discussion with the customer the product was reformulated with just 0.7% lemon oil and no lime oil.
2. Citrus mix body butter
This formulation from a different customer was based on an oil and beeswax base and was scented with 0.7% each of lemon oil, orange oil and lemongrass oil. The concentration of the sensitiser citral was up to more than double the permitted level. The customer could not guaruntee to source a low-citral variety of lemongrass oil (Cymbopogon flexuosus oil) and lower levels of the oil were considered ineffective, so the formulation was changed to a totally different set of essential oils.
3. Preservative-free cream for sensitive skin
This formulation contained mostly water and was thickened with xanthan gum. The customer did not have the equipment or systems in place to manufacture to low microbiological contamination specifications so it was decided to re-formulate with 0.6% of a phenoxyethanol-based preservative.
4. Petrolatum-containing lipstick manufactured outside the EU
Petrolatum (petroleum jelly) is prohibited unless documentation is available proving that it is free from carcinogenic material. In practice, this means using just US or European Pharmacopia-standard white petroleum jelly. The manufacturer of this lipstick could not provide such proof for the grade they were using so we could not issue a safety certificate and the importer had to drop the product from their range.
Please call us on 01244-351644 (UK) or email edmund@efchemicalconsulting.co.uk to find out more about cosmetic safety assessments or to discuss pricing.