UV filters in cosmetic products: what does European scientific assessment show?
Check What You Buy! Choose Cosmetics Wisely with InfoCons!
As part of the campaign “Check What You Buy! Choose Cosmetics Wisely!”, InfoCons works to inform and educate consumers about the risks associated with the use of non-compliant cosmetic products, by promoting accurate, science-based information supported by the expertise of specialists in the field of health.
Among the cosmetic ingredients constantly assessed by European experts are UV filters – the substances that protect our skin from solar radiation and that are found in sunscreens, but also in many everyday care products.
What UV filters are and why they matter
UV filters are active substances that absorb or reflect ultraviolet radiation (UVA and UVB), preventing sunburn and premature skin ageing and reducing the risk of skin cancer. Precisely because they are active substances applied to large areas of the body, sometimes daily, their safety is rigorously assessed at European level.
The European framework: a positive list of permitted filters
In the EU, UV filters are regulated by Annex VI to Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, which works as a “positive list”: only the filters included in the list – around 30 substances – may be used, and only under the conditions and at the concentrations laid down. The safety of each filter is assessed by the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS), and the list is updated regularly based on the latest scientific data.
Recent reassessments
In recent years, several UV filters have been reassessed. Homosalate was restricted by Regulation (EU) 2022/2195: the maximum concentration was reduced from 10% to 7.34%, and its use was limited to face products (except propellant sprays), because of potential endocrine-disrupting properties flagged by the SCCS. The new requirements apply to new products from 1 January 2025, and non-compliant products were withdrawn from the market from 1 July 2025.
Benzophenone-3 and octocrylene also received stricter limits through Regulation (EU) 2022/1176, likewise following safety assessments. These measures show that the European system acts whenever scientific concerns arise about an ingredient.
What consumers can do
– Use sun protection: the health benefits far outweigh the risks, and compliant products are safe under the recommended conditions of use.
– Choose compliant products that contain only filters permitted in Annex VI and are lawfully marketed in the EU.
– Read the label: check the protection factor (SPF), the UVA protection statement and the ingredient list.
– Check any alerts about non-compliant products in the InfoCons App.
Conclusion
UV filters remain important allies for skin health, and the recent reassessments show the care European authorities take for consumer safety. Through the campaign “Check What You Buy! Choose Cosmetics Wisely!”, InfoCons encourages choosing compliant products and staying correctly informed.
European alerts on non-compliant products can be consulted directly in the InfoCons App.
Official sources: Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 – Annex VI; Regulation (EU) 2022/2195 (homosalate) and Regulation (EU) 2022/1176 (benzophenone-3 and octocrylene); opinions of the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS); European Commission.
Signed: InfoCons Consumer Protection – Communication Department