82.9% of Cosmetic Products in ALERTS Contain BMHCA ! Check What You Buy ! Choose Cosmetics Wisely with InfoCons!
82.9% of Cosmetic Products in ALERTS Contain BMHCA ! Check What You Buy! Choose Cosmetics Wisely with InfoCons!
As part of the campaign “Check What You Buy! Choose Cosmetics Wisely with InfoCons!”, InfoCons works to inform and educate consumers about the risks associated with the use of non-compliant cosmetic products identified in the European Alerts found in the InfoCons App, by promoting accurate information that is scientifically grounded and supported by the expertise of specialists in the field.
Cosmetic products may seem harmless, but non-compliant ones can contain substances that seriously affect health. As part of the campaign “Check What You Buy! Choose Cosmetics Wisely with InfoCons!”, InfoCons analysed the types of risks flagged at European level for cosmetic products.
5,035 cosmetic products were the subject of the analysis, based on the alerts available in the Alerts section of the InfoCons App.
Types of risk associated with non-compliant cosmetic products
The main risk is chemical in nature: 97.6% of the alerts studied concern a chemical risk. Microbiological risk (contamination with bacteria, yeasts or mould) appears in 1.6% of cases, while the remaining alerts concern other types of risk – to the environment, burns, choking, cuts or impaired vision.
Distribution of alerts by type of risk.
The risks associated with non-compliant cosmetic products, according to the European Alerts found in the InfoCons Consumer Protection App, are:
- 6% – Chemical risk
- 6% – Microbiological risk
- 8% – Other risks
Dangerous substances found in non-compliant cosmetic alerts
Most alerts involve substances that are banned or present above the permitted limits. Far ahead of the rest is Lilial (butylphenyl methylpropional), a fragrance ingredient banned in the European Union since 2022, present in 82.9% of alerts – which also explains the large number of flagged fragranced products.
Main substances and hazards identified in the flagged cosmetic products.
The table below presents these substances and their effects on health:
| Substance / hazard | % of alerts | Health effects |
| Lilial / Butylphenyl methylpropional (BMHCA) | 82.9% | Fragrance ingredient banned in the EU since 2022; toxic to reproduction and a skin sensitiser |
| Hydroxyisohexyl (Lyral / HICC) | 2.8% | Strong contact allergen, banned since 2021; causes allergic dermatitis |
| Hydroquinone | 2.0% | Irritation, dermatitis and permanent skin discolouration (ochronosis); banned in cosmetics |
| Microbiological contamination | 1.8% | Bacteria, yeasts and mould; infections and irritation, especially on broken skin or around the eyes |
| Preservatives (isothiazolinones, CMIT/MIT) | 1.0% | Allergic contact dermatitis at concentrations above the limit |
| Mercury | 1.0% | Accumulates in the body; affects the kidneys, brain, nervous system and foetus |
| Corticosteroids (e.g. clobetasol) | 0.8% | Prescription-only substances; skin thinning and endocrine disruption |
| Lead | 0.4% | Neurotoxic metal; accumulates and can affect development and the foetus |
| Formaldehyde | 0.3% | Carcinogenic, irritant to skin and airways, allergen |
| Banned parabens | 0.3% | Possible endocrine disruptors |
| Cyclotetrasiloxane (D4) | 0.2% | Toxic to reproduction and a persistent environmental pollutant |
Although some substances – such as mercury, hydroquinone or corticosteroids – appear in small percentages, they are among the most dangerous, being associated with serious conditions and with skin-whitening products that often come from outside the EU.
InfoCons recommendations
To reduce exposure to these risks, InfoCons recommends that consumers:
- Check the product in the Alerts section of the InfoCons App before buying or using it.
- Read the list of ingredients and avoid products containing banned or undeclared substances; when in doubt, do not use the product.
- Pay attention to fragranced products and skin-whitening products – the categories most exposed to banned substances.
- Do not use products with an altered smell, colour or texture, and stop using them at the first signs of irritation, redness or an allergic reaction.
- Choose products with a complete label, in Romanian, with the manufacturer/importer and expiry date clearly stated.
Signature: InfoCons Consumer Protection Department – Cosmetic Product Alerts