Cosmetics Industry: Cosmetic Products Intended for Use by Professionals

Assuris is excited to share our newest podcast episode! In this episode, our experts will be shining a spotlight on cosmetic products designed for professionals for use in the beauty industry. Hairstylists and beauticians work closely with these products daily, making safety assessments crucial. Join us as we delve into the significance of prioritizing the safety of cosmetics professionals and explore a practical methodology for effective assessments. Stream the podcast now to learn more.

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Transcript

00:15 --> 00:51
 Speaker 1

Hello, everyone! Welcome to the Assurance in Action podcast. Today’s podcast is dedicated to cosmetic products indented for use by professionals. 

My name is Amélie Cordonnier, and I am a pharmacist and toxicologist within Intertek Assuris in France. Today I am joined by my colleague Karine Zheng, also a toxicologist with the team. We are both in charge of assessments of cosmetic products for our clients.

00:51 --> 01:16
 Speaker 2

Hi, Amélie. Welcome everyone! 

As you know, professionals such as hairdressers and beauticians are exposed daily to cosmetic products at their job. In this episode, we will tackle the importance of considering cosmetics professionals during safety assessments. We’ll discuss specific aspects of assessment of such products and suggest a methodology to follow. 

01:16 --> 01:50
 Speaker 1

First of all, it is important to note that the exposure of professionals must be considered during the safety assessment of the product—this is a regulatory requirement. 

Indeed, the European cosmetic regulation states that all targeted or exposed populations must be taken into account, so this includes professionals as much as consumers.

Karine, what are the specific aspects to assess regarding professional-use cosmetics products?

01:50 --> 02:18
 Speaker 2

The key element to distinguish cosmetic products intended for professional use from those intended for consumer use is exposure. 

Exposure for professionals will differ significantly from that for consumers:

In most cases, the area in contact with the product will be limited to the hands, and the contact time will be shorter due to handwashing after applying products.

02:18 --> 02:43
 Speaker 1

Right, exactly, and as part of their work, professionals will apply the same product several times per day and every working day, leading to a much higher frequency of use compared to consumers. 

Another key difference is the potential exposure by inhalation when preparing or applying products like hair dyes or nail polishes.

02:43 --> 03:37
 Speaker 2

You’re right—actually, due to this higher frequency of use, the safety assessor should pay particular attention to repeated skin exposure and potential inhalation exposure when assessing the product. This will help reduce professionals’ risk of cutaneous and respiratory diseases like dermatosis and asthma. 

For example, many formulations of nail polishes and artificial nails contain acrylates polymers. These raw materials can contain impurities known for their sensitization potential. So, the safety assessor must ensure that these impurities are only present at technically unavoidable levels that will not be of concern for users—both professionals and consumers.  

03:37 --> 04:01
 Speaker 1

Furthermore, continuing with our example of hairdressers and beauticians, their skin could be weakened by repeated handwashing, and thus will be more prone to develop dermatosis and increase the penetration of cosmetic products.

So Karine, how do you determine the skin exposure of professionals to a given product?

04:01 --> 04:50
 Speaker 2

Well, usually exposure scenarios are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. They have to be representative of reality. Luckily, it is possible to estimate quantity per application during clinical studies.

The safety assessor may refer to the use protocol for the product defined by the brand, and can directly question the professionals involved about the frequency of use and the quantity of the product used routinely. For example, we might ask a beautician how many massages they perform per working day. If several cosmetics products are used successively in that routine, this also has to be considered. 

04:50 --> 05:14
 Speaker 1

I see. Of course, if it is not possible to get this information, there are literature publications that can be consulted, in addition to the SCCS—the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety—guidelines.

So what about the choosing of a retention factor – the fraction of the product retained on the skin? 

05:14 --> 05:55
 Speaker 2

The retention factor depends on the use of the product.

Usually, professional products can be considered as systematically rinsed, either due to their use (for example a shampoo) or for reasons of hygiene, because hands are washed after each use—after each massage, for example. In such cases, the retention factor is 0.01.

However, if the exposure time is more than 1 hour before rinsing, as would be the case for a typical massage, the factor must be 1. If the product is only wiped off rather than rinsed-off, the factor is 0.1.

05:55 --> 06:04
 Speaker 1

Right. It sounds like then, depending on the conclusion of the safety assessment, several different precautions for use may be recommended. 

06:04 --> 06:34
 Speaker 2

That’s right, it can be necessary to include specific use instructions and precautions for professionals on the product label. 

For example, it might be required to hand-wash after each application, to wear disposable gloves, or to wear a mask for the preparation and application of powder products. Often, all these measures should be followed to limit the contact of the product for the professional and ensure its safe use. 

06:34 --> 06:56
 Speaker 1

Finally, if a product is intended to be used by professionals only, a specific mention “professional use only”—should be indicated on the packaging.

On that note, Karine, is it true that a safety assessment for professional use can also influence a safety assessment for consumers use?

06:56 --> 07:29
 Speaker 2

Yes, of course! The use of some products at home can present higher risks for consumers than use in a professional setting. I have in mind the case of nail polishes, which can pose a risk of sensitization from application on the skin adjacent to the nails instead of strictly on nails—in other words, risks from misuse, or less-skilled use, of the product. For this reason, in fact, some ingredients are permitted for professional use only.

07:29 --> 08:10
 Speaker 1

And this all goes back to what we began saying: that safety assessments of cosmetics products must account for exposure of consumers as much as of professionals, as the case may be, and account for their different use and exposure scenarios. It is a regulatory requirement, and it is essential to ensure a high protection level for human health. 

If you’re interested in learning more about this topic, contact our Intertek Assuris team. We’ll be happy to help.  

Thank you, Karine, for this great conversation, and thanks to our listeners too.

08:10 --> 08:14
 Speaker 2

Thank you for listening, everyone! Goodbye.