On 4 April 2024, the EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) issued a final safety opinion (SCCS/1660/23) on the solicitation of Benzophenone-4 (CAS No. 4065-45-6, EC No. 223-772-2). A preliminary safety opinion on dibenzene-4 was issued on December 15, 2023.

1. Given the data presented and taking into account the potential endocrine disrupting properties of diphenylenone-4, does the SCCS consider a maximum safe concentration of 5% for use as a sunscreen in cosmetics?

Based on the safety assessment, and taking into account the concerns raised by benzophenone 4's potential endocrine disrupting properties, the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) believes that benzophenone 4 can be used as a UV filter in concentrations of up to 5% in sunscreens, creams and hand creams, lipstics, sunscreen sprays and pump sprays, It is safe to use either alone or in combination (based on deterministic comprehensive exposure assessment).

2. In addition, what is the maximum safe concentration of benzophenone-4 in cosmetics according to SCCS?

Any additional use of benzene-4, such as stabilizer for cosmetic formulations exposed to light, should be kept within the concentration range mentioned above (i.e. 5%), including use as a UV filter.

3. Is there any further scientific concern about the use of dibenzophenone-4 in cosmetics?

The mission requirements of the SCCS do not address environmental aspects. Therefore, the environmental safety of benzophenone 4 was not covered by this assessment.

In addition, diphenylketone-4 is used as light stabilizer, UV absorber and UV filter in cosmetics, which has been included in China's Catalogue of Used Cosmetic Raw Materials (2021 edition) and the list of permitted sunscreen in the Technical Specification for the Safety of Cosmetics. The maximum allowable concentration of diphenylketone-4 and diphenylketone-5 when used as sunscreen is 5% (in acid).Zirconium lake pigments, zirconium salts, zirconium pigments or otherwise specified ingredients used as pigments in cosmetics will not be restricted.

As for the safety supervision of cosmetics, it is also important to control the source ingredients, so the safety of cosmetic raw materials becomes very important.

Carbomer, and Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer have been listed in the List of Used Cosmetic Raw Materials (2021 edition). They are widely used in pharmaceuticals, personal care products and other industrial fields as water-soluble rheological modifiers and pharmaceutical excipients.

We, Anhui Newman fine chemicals Co., ltd, is the top leading manufacturer of carbomer and polyacrylic acid. As a water-soluble rheological modifier, carbomer has been extensively applied used in personal care products and pharmaceuticals, and industrial fields for more than 70 years due to its efficient thickening and suspension performance, high safety, and no irritation to human body and skin.

 we have cosmetics grade carbomers, including traditional carbomer such as NM-Carbomer 940HC, carbomer 980 HC, carbomer 990, carbomer 981but also improved carbomer such as NM-Carbomer 20, 2020, 21, 1342, 1382 with INCI Name: Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Cross polymer. Also, liquid carbomer such as NM-Carbomer SF-1, with INCI name: acrylates copolymer.

As the traditional Polymers Polyvinylpyrrolidone PVP K30, PVP K90  and copolymer PVP/VA still continues to be popular in all over the market!

For Strict control of potential risk impurity such as heavy metals, benzene etc. ，we have tested and checked every production unit, from raw materials used in production, production process, packaging and so on. To ensure that the heavy metal content of our Newman Carbomer not only meets the industry standards, and the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (ChP.), the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP/NF), the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph.Eur.), the British Pharmacopoeia (BP), the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP), the Japanese Pharmacopoeia (JPE) and relevant regulations.

Anhui Newman have been approved by ISO9001 quality system, ISO 14001 environmental system and ISO 45001 occupational health and safety system certification in 2015. In January 2023, we successfully passed the assessment conducted by Eco Vadis, a global social responsibility assessment company, actively fulfilled the SA8000 social responsibility standard, reduced pollution emissions, rationally used resources, and ensured that the environment continued to meet the standards. And we constantly improved the construction of the company's social responsibility management system, and effectively fulfilled social responsibilities.