Skin sensitization tests are one of the current hot topics in the world of cosmetic ingredients evaluation. We are at the crossroad between animal and in vitro methods. What will be decided in the following months will definitively change the habits and evaluation approaches of manufacturers and toxicologists.
As an active actor that proposes solutions for cosmetics industries, the IDEA TESTS Group is naturally part of this mutation.
A restrictive regulatory context
The main objective of the European Regulation (EC) 1223/20091 is the safety of a cosmetic product for human health as it is clearly announced in the article 3: “A cosmetic product made available on the market shall be safe for human health when used under normal or reasonably foreseable conditions of use,…”. In addition to the information collected on the finished product itself (type of product, target population, claims, application site, frequency, tests available, etc.), the toxicologist responsible for the safety evaluation has to look carefully at the toxicological profile of the substances, particularly for the calculation of the Margin of Safety (MOS).