Advice on the safe use of ingredients for sunscreens has been released by the EU's scientific committee on consumer products (SCCP), which has been focusing on UV filters. The committee said camphor benzalkonium methosulphate is safe as a UV filter at concentrations of up to 6% in cosmetic sun preparations, but because of its “borderline margin of safety, its use in other cosmetics products is not recommended”. Also, the committee advised that phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid and its salts are safe as a UV filter (and other cosmetic products) at a maximum concentration of 8%.
However, for the UV filter oxybenzone (or benzophenone-3), the committee has concluded there is currently “insufficient data” to calculate a safe maximum levels and has called for a dermal absorption study.
Meanwhile, the committee has called for lowered concentrations of a skin absorption promoting ingredient diethylene glycol monoethyl ether (DEGEE), which has been used in shampoos in concentrations of up to 5% and leave-on creams up to 2%. The committee said safety was only assured for concentrations of up to 1.5% for all applications touching the skin. And it also concluded that the use of diethylene glycol monobutyl ether (DEGBE) as a solvent in hair dues was safe at concentrations of up to 9%.