NEW Updates to Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist

by | May 22, 2024 | Canadian Regulatory, Cosmetics

On Friday, May 17, 2024, Health Canada updated the Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist. The following updates have been made:

  1. The following ingredients have been added:
  1. Basic Green 4: added to the list of prohibited substances due to potential developmental effects.
  2. Benzophenone: added to the list of restricted substances due to adverse maternal effects such as decreased body weight.
  3. p-Chloro-m-cresol: added to the list of restricted substances due to health concerns regarding the adrenal organs.
  4. Solvent violet 13: added to the list of restricted substances due to health concerns.
  1. The following items have been amended:
  1. Dialkanolamines, secondary: amended to include secondary alkyl- and alkanolamines and their salts.
  2. Alpha-hydroxy acids: amended to clarify that Polyhydroxy acids (PHAs) and bionic acids with alpha-hydroxyl groups, as well as their salts, are included. They meet the chemical definition of AHAs and there is insufficient information to support that PHAs are less likely to cause irritation or sun sensitivity than other AHAs. Additionally, the maximum permitted concentration for the consumer use category was increased from 10% to 18. Other amendments include updated warnings and cautionary statements and additional product-specific directions for safe use.
  3. Hydroquinone: amended to expand the permitted nail product categories to include products for consumer use, increase the maximum concentration permitted for these products, and introduce a combined limit when both p-hydroxyanisole and hydroquinone are used in a nail product.
  4. p-Hydroxyanisole: amended to introduce a combined limit of 0.1% when both p-hydroxyanisole and hydroquinone are used in a nail product.
  5. Talc: amended to help reduce chronic inhalation exposure to talc in cosmetics. Cautionary statements related to acute inhalation risks were also adjusted to include all loose powder products.

Call us today if you have any questions about this update or would like our assistance determining how this update may impact your products.