Ingredient

KOJIC ACID

Name / description

Kojic Acid; 5-Hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-4-pyrone

Function(s) of this ingredient in cosmetic products

ANTIOXIDANT

Inhibits reactions promoted by oxygen, thus avoiding oxidation and deterioration of ingredients

BLEACHING

Lightens the shade of hair or skin

Origin

synthetic/plant

Why are we talking about it?

Kojic acid is suspected of inducing allergies (sensitising), being irritating to the skin and eyes and carcinogenic to the liver. It is also suspected of being an endocrine disruptor. The facts: Studies on kojic acid have not shown any skin or eye irritation potential. The European and American expert committees consider that the use of kojic acid at the authorised concentrations is safe, especially as its skin absorption in human is very low. (1) (2) (3) However, using a cosmetic product containing kojic acid is less safe if the skin is altered (e.g. after a peel) or if the application area extends beyond the face and hands. Data on sensitisation show that the use of kojic acid is safe in concentrations up to 2 times higher than those authorised in Europe (1). Nevertheless, European experts have decided to re-examine the potential endocrine activity of 28 substances suspected of being endocrine disruptors. Kojic acid was included in this re-evaluation. Based on in vivo data, the experts concluded that for a safe use, kojic acid should be used up to a maximum concentration of 0.7 % (1). Key points to take away: Products containing kojic acid should only be applied to the face and neck and/or the hands, and onto a healthy skin. Sources: (1) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety: Opinion SCCS/1637/21 (2) An assessment of the genotoxicity and human health risk of topical use of kojic acid [5-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-4H-pyran-4-one]: Nohynek et al., Food Chem Toxicol. 2004 Jan;42(1):93-105 (3) Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR): Int. J. Toxicol. Nov-Dec 2010;29(6 Suppl):244S-73. Final report of the safety assessment of Kojic acid as used in cosmetics

Belongs to the following substance groups

Antioxidants

Hair bleaching agent / Bleaching enhancer

Skin-bleaching ingredients

Regulating cosmetics

Cosmetics Ingredients are subject to regulation. Please note, different regulations may apply to cosmetic ingredients outside the EU.

Understanding your cosmetics

How are cosmetics kept safe in Europe?

Strict laws make sure that cosmetics and personal care products sold in the European Union are safe for people to use. Companies, national and European regulatory authorities share the responsibility of keeping cosmetic products safe.

What should I know about endocrine disruptors?

Some ingredients used in cosmetic products have been claimed to be ‘endocrine disruptors’ because they have the potential to mimic some of the properties of our hormones. Just because something has the potential to mimic a hormone does not mean it will disrupt our endocrine system. Many substances, including natural ones, mimic hormones but very few, and these are mostly potent medicines, have ever been shown to cause disruption of the endocrine system. The rigorous product safety assessments by qualified, scientific experts that companies are legally obliged to carry out cover all potential risks, including potential endocrine disruption.

Are cosmetics tested on animals? No!

In the European Union, testing cosmetics on animals has been fully banned since 2013. Over the last 30 years, long before a ban was in place, the cosmetics and personal care industry has invested in research and development to pioneer alternatives to animal testing tools to assess the safety of cosmetics ingredients and products.

What about allergens in cosmetics?

Many substances, natural or man-made, have the potential to cause an allergic reaction. An allergic reaction occurs when a person’s immune system reacts to substances that are harmless to most people. A substance that causes an allergic reaction is called an allergen. Cosmetics and personal care products may contain ingredients that can be allergenic for some people. This does not mean that the product is not safe for others to use.

Database

Cosmetics matter to people and play an important role in our everyday life. On average European consumers use over seven different cosmetics daily. You too? It’s only natural that you want to know more about the ingredients in those products.

In the digital world we live in, there’s a deluge of information on cosmetics. However, it can be difficult to know which sources are reliable. COSMILE Europe is a European cosmetic ingredient database that offers reliable, verified and scientifically supported information on almost 30,000 ingredients used in cosmetics.

This database will help you understand why certain ingredients are in your cosmetic products; which properties they have and much more. The database is currently available in fourteen languages with more to come.

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