23 new ingredients banned by the EU for cosmetic use

The European Commission (EC) has officially banned 23 new cosmetic ingredients due to their classification as carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic for reproduction (CMR) under Article 15 of the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009.

So, what does this mean for your cosmetic brand? And how can you prepare for future regulatory changes?

Let’s break it down.

Why Are These Ingredients Banned?

The EC routinely evaluates the safety of cosmetic ingredients, especially those flagged as harmful by scientific committees. The 23 substances recently banned have been deemed unsafe due to their potential to cause cancer, genetic mutations, or reproductive harm. These ingredients are now listed in Annex II of the Cosmetics Regulation, which means they are prohibited from use in cosmetic products across the European Union.

This move aims to protect consumers and uphold the EU’s high standard for cosmetic safety.

Related Article: Regulations for Cosmetics E-Commerce that you must follow

Impact on Cosmetic Brands

This regulatory update sent shockwaves through the beauty industry. Brands were forced to:

• Pull non-compliant products off shelves
• Reformulate best-selling products
• Reassess ingredients across entire inventories

Even large companies weren’t immune. For example, Olaplex had to reformulate its cult-favorite No. 3 Hair Perfector after the ban of Butylphenyl Methylpropional (Lilial) – a widely used fragrance component.

As reported by Allure, the EU Scientific Committee found that Lilial could not be considered safe due to its reprotoxic potential – posing risks to fertility and fetal development. Following this, Lilial was classified as a Category 1B reproductive toxicant and added to Annex II.

Some Key Ingredients That Are Now Banned

Here’s a look at a few specific ingredients from the banned list:

• Zinc Pyrithione: Previously used in anti-dandruff and hair care products. It will now be completely banned, removed from Annex III and V, and added to Annex II.
• Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate: Once authorized as a preservative up to 0.5%, it too will be removed from Annex V and added to Annex II, making it no longer permissible.
• Butylphenyl Methylpropional (Lilial): A common fragrance ingredient, now banned due to its toxicity to reproduction.

See the full law and list here.

What Should Brands and Retailers Do Now?

One of the biggest challenges when such regulations are enforced is the enormous data burden placed on brands and retailers. Sorting through Excel sheets containing thousands of ingredient entries can be time-consuming and prone to errors.

Retailers face an even greater hurdle: they must contact all their partner brands to verify product safety and compliance.

A Smart Solution: Inference Beauty

This is where Inference Beauty can help. Our ingredient analyzer is a centralized solution that:

• Automatically updates banned ingredient data on brand or retailer websites
• Scans product inventories to flag non-compliant items
• Exports product data in easy-to-read CSV files
• Reduces manual work and compliance risk

With Inference Beauty, you can stay ahead of compliance changes and save your team hours of work.

Regulatory changes like this are not uncommon – and they’re only going to become more frequent as consumer safety continues to be a top priority in the cosmetic industry.

If you’re a cosmetic brand or retailer, now is the time to adopt smart, automated tools to help navigate these updates smoothly. Not only will this protect your brand from legal risks and product recalls, but it will also demonstrate your commitment to safe and compliant beauty.

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