Voluntary Registration of Cosmetics and 2007 Frequency of Preservative Use

By: David C. Steinberg, Steinberg & Associates

Posted: October 1, 2008, from the October 2008 issue of Cosmetics & Toiletries.

 The last report on the frequency of preservative use was published two years ago. Although at that time approximately 20% more formulations had been registered from previous years, the difference in use of preservatives was not significant.

With the present report, however, some interesting differences have been observed, especially regarding parabens and “nontraditional” preservatives, as will be discussed later.

It is important to note that statistics such as these, which track ingredient usage, are obtained through company submissions. The real reason for companies to submit now is that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently made the process easier via the Internet; so by simply filling in the forms online and hitting “submit,” companies will find registration and updating to be a snap.

To access current submission forms online, visit the FDA Web site at: www.cfsan.fda.gov/~ocac/ocac2512.html. Here, the FDA refers to the Voluntary Cosmetic Registration Program as the VCRP. The forms available include: 2511–Registration of a Cosmetic Establishment; and 2512–Cosmetic Product Ingredient Statements. Current listings can be updated or formulations can be removed electronically—this becomes an especially important task when products are discontinued. Companies may also request that forms submitted on paper be transferred to an electronic format at this site.

This is only an excerpt of the full article that appeared in Cosmetics & Toiletries, but you can purchase the full-text version.