Nano and Ultrafine Zinc Oxide as a UV Filter: What EU Annex VI Actually Says
Ultrafine zinc oxide is marketing, not law. EU Annex VI entries 30 and 30a, Annex IV, and Articles 16 and 19 govern zinc oxide nano as a UV filter.
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Research and guidance
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Blog and Compliance Guides
Read practical articles about EU cosmetic ingredients, Annex II–VI restrictions, warnings, preservatives, UV filters, colorants, compliance topics and ingredient research.
Latest posts
Articles, explainers and updates related to cosmetic ingredients and EU reference data.
Why Some Cosmetic Ingredients Have No CAS Number — Or Several — And How To Look Them Up
Why bentonite, deceth-3 and other cosmetic ingredients carry no CAS number, or several. Real CosIng records and how to look up CAS/EC numbers safely.
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What US federal law actually prohibits in cosmetics: 21 CFR Part 700 Subpart B and MoCRA
The FDA's short list of banned cosmetic ingredients, how color additives are actually gatekept, and what MoCRA changed as of September 2026.
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What Is an INCI Name and Who Assigns It?
How the International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients works, who assigns INCI names, how the EU applies them under Article 33, and how to search the INCI …
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UV/LED Gel Nail Photoinitiators After the TPO Ban: What 1-Hydroxycyclohexyl Phenyl Ketone Is and Isn't
TPO is prohibited in EU and GB cosmetics. What a photoinitiator does, why TPO was banned, and the current regulatory status of hydroxycyclohexyl phenyl ketone.
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UK vs EU cosmetic ingredient rules after Brexit: how the annexes have diverged
How Great Britain's cosmetic ingredient annexes diverged from the EU's after Brexit, with worked examples of substances that differ, and what to check.
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Toxic Ingredient Checkers and Cosmetic Score Databases vs EU Rules: What Each One Actually Tells You
How a toxic ingredients checker or carcinogen checker differs from EU cosmetic law: hazard vs risk, SCCS opinions, CLP Annex VI, and two worked examples.
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South Korea's MFDS cosmetic ingredient rules explained
How Korea's MFDS regulates cosmetic ingredients under the Cosmetics Act, with worked examples of where Korea and the EU set different limits.
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Saudi Arabia's Cosmetic Ingredient Rules Explained: SFDA Prohibited Ingredients List
How the SFDA prohibited ingredients list, GSO 1943 and eCosma notification work together to set Saudi Arabia's cosmetic ingredient rules, with worked examples.
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New Zealand's Cosmetic Products Group Standard Explained
How the EPA NZ Cosmetic Products Group Standard's schedules track EU cosmetics rules, where they currently differ, and what that means for dual-market brands.
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Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone (MCI/MI): the EU Rules and Why They Changed
Methylchloroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone CAS numbers, EU Annex V entries 39 and 57, the leave-on bans, and how other markets treat them.
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Japan's Standards for Cosmetics Explained: MHLW Negative, Restricted and Positive Lists
How Japan's MHLW Standards for Cosmetics structure the negative list, restricted list and positive lists, and where quasi-drugs fit under the PMD Act.
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India Cosmetic Ingredient Regulations Explained: Cosmetics Rules 2020 and IS 4707
How India regulates cosmetic ingredients under the Cosmetics Rules 2020 and BIS standard IS 4707 Part 2, with worked examples against the EU annexes.
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How to Find the INCI Name of a Plant-Derived Ingredient
How EU INCI names for plant ingredients are built from genus, species, plant part and preparation, verified against CosIng data for peppermint, calendula and m…
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How to Download CosIng Data (and What Is Actually in the Files)
What the European Commission's CosIng pages offer today, what the classic file names mean, the fields to expect, and pitfalls in the data.
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How to Check a Cosmetic Ingredient List Against EU Rules, Step by Step
A step-by-step method to check ingredients in cosmetics against EU law: read the label correctly, match each INCI name, then read what the record covers.
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Hair Dye Ingredients in EU Cosmetics: How Annex III Entries and the 2003 Safety Strategy Work
How the EU's 2003 hair dye strategy, SCCS dossiers and Annex III entries work, with worked examples: 2-methylresorcinol, PPD relatives, Basic Orange 31.
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EU Annex VI UV Filters Explained: How to Read the Positive List
How Annex VI to EU Regulation 1223/2009 works: the legal definition of a UV filter, how to read an entry, and worked examples from the live CosIng data.
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How to Read an EU Annex V Preservative Entry: A Technical Guide for Formulators
A technical reading guide to Annex V of EU Regulation 1223/2009: the columns, the acid-equivalent convention, and worked examples from live entries.
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Cosmetic Ingredient Review vs SCCS: Two Ways to Do a Cosmetic Ingredient Data Review
How the US Cosmetic Ingredient Review and the EU's SCCS assess cosmetic ingredients differently, with parabens and triclosan as worked examples.
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CMR Substances in EU Cosmetics: Article 15 Explained
How Article 15 of Regulation 1223/2009 treats CMR substances, how CLP classification feeds the omnibus regulations, and how to track the next one.
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CI Numbers in Cosmetics: How EU Annex IV Colorants Work
What a CI number is, why EU labels use it under Article 19(1)(g), and how to read an Annex IV entry, with CI 12075, CI 77163 and CI 77891 worked examples.
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China's Prohibited Cosmetic Ingredient Lists Explained
How China's NMPA prohibited-ingredient catalogues work under CSAR, how they relate to IECIC and new-ingredient filing, and where they diverge from EU Annex II.
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Is There a "Chinese CosIng"? IECIC Compared With the EU's CosIng Inventory
Searching china cosing or cosing china? China has no CosIng. It has IECIC, run under CSAR with different legal force. Here is how the two inventories differ.
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Health Canada's Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist Explained
How Health Canada's Hotlist works, prohibited vs restricted listings, the Cosmetic Notification Form, and where it diverges from the EU annexes.
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Brazil's ANVISA Cosmetic Ingredient Rules Explained: RDC 529/2021 and the Lists Behind It
How ANVISA's RDC 529/2021 prohibited list, the Mercosur resolutions behind it, and Grau 1/2 categories set Brazil's cosmetic ingredient rules.
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Australia's Cosmetic Ingredient Rules Explained: AICIS, the Poisons Standard and the TGA Line
How Australia regulates cosmetic ingredients through AICIS, the Poisons Standard, ACCC labelling and the TGA cosmetic/therapeutic line, with worked examples.
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The ASEAN Cosmetic Directive and Its Ingredient Annexes Explained
How the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive's ingredient annexes work, who updates them, and where ASEAN and EU rules line up or diverge, with worked examples.
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How to find an EU annex entry by its number
Annex III entry 344, Annex II/1001: four ways to resolve a cosmetic annex citation to the record, why entry numbers repeat between annexes, and what to read on…
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What CosIng is, and how to read an annex record
CosIng has an inventory and five annexes, and only the annexes carry legal force. What each annex means, how to read a record, and the mistakes that follow fro…
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CosIng API: query EU cosmetic ingredient data as JSON
A free, read-only JSON API over the EU CosIng annexes, the ingredient inventory, PubChem chemistry and market rules. Working curl examples, no key required.
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EU Fragrance Allergens in Cosmetics: 2026 Labeling Rules
Learn the EU fragrance allergen labeling rules, declaration thresholds and the 2026 and 2028 transition deadlines for cosmetic products.
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COSING Database Explained
Learn everything about cosing database, understand EU cosmetic regulations, ingredient functions, safety and practical examples.
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CoSing Database and INCI Ingredient Checker: How to Search Cosmetic Ingredients in the EU
Learn how to use the CoSing database, check INCI names, cosmetic ingredient functions, EU restrictions, Annex entries, colorants, preservatives and UV filters …
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Alcohols in Cosmetics: Types, Functions, and Safety
Learn how different types of alcohols in cosmetics work, their benefits, risks, and how to choose safe skincare products. Understand simple, polyhydric, fatty,…
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Basic Skincare Rules: 10 Steps to Healthy Skin
Discover the top skin care tips that help keep your skin healthy, glowing, and protected every day. Learn 10 essential rules to build an effective skincare rou…
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Safe Cosmetics During Pregnancy – What Ingredients to Avoid (EU Guide)
Learn which cosmetic ingredients are safe during pregnancy and which to avoid. EU-based guide covering retinol, caffeine, hair dyes, and skincare safety for pr…
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Preservatives in Cosmetics: Critical and Safe
Learn about cosmetic preservatives, including safe and harmful ingredients, parabens, and how they affect your skin. Understand risks, benefits, and safety reg…
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Shedding Light on Sun Safety - Part Two
Learn the difference between chemical and physical sunscreens and whether oxybenzone is safe. Understand UV filters, skin reactions, and how to choose the best…
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Benzene in Cosmetics: Safety, EU Ban & CosIng
Benzene safety, EU CosIng status, and Annex II ban. Learn risks, regulations, and limits in cosmetics.
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About this blog
The CosIng Checker blog covers practical topics related to EU cosmetic ingredient compliance and the CosIng reference database. Articles are written for formulators, regulatory affairs professionals and anyone working with EU cosmetics data.
- Prohibited substances — Annex II bans, ingredient screening and compliance checks
- Restricted substances — Annex III concentration limits, warnings and product-type conditions
- Permitted colorants, preservatives and UV filters — Annex IV, V and VI practical guides
- EU fragrance allergen declaration rules under Regulation 1223/2009
- CAS and EC number cross-referencing across multiple annexes
- How to read and interpret CosIng database fields and records