Examen de la formulation d'un produit cosmétique

What's included in your cosmetic formulation review

Who this formulation review is for

• Brands with a draft formula not yet sent for a CPSR
• Brands changing an existing formula, ingredient or supplier
• Private-label producers checking a manufacturer's formula
• Formulators and laboratories wanting an independent compliance check
• Responsible Persons who need ingredient data before a CPSR

What this formulation review does not include

• Final sign-off of a finished formula. A review is built to find and fix problems while the formula can still change. If your formula is final and you need a documented pass for your safety assessor, formulation validation is the better fit.
• The safety assessment itself. Once the formula is clean it still needs a Cosmetic Product Safety Report (CPSR) before it can be sold.
• Laboratory testing. The review is a desk-based assessment of your formula and supplier data. Stability, challenge (preservative efficacy) and other laboratory tests are carried out separately.
• An allergen-only check. If fragrance allergen labelling is your only concern, the narrower Allergen Compliance Check is the more focused option.

How the formulation review works

1. Fill our Product Information Document Send your formula with INCI names and exact percentages, any fragrance composition, and the product type and intended use.
2. Annex II–VI screening Each ingredient is checked against Annexes II–VI and CosIng and ECHA data for bans, limits and conditions of use.
3. Exposure and fragrance check Concentrations are compared with SCCS guidance for your product type, and fragranced products are checked against IFRA limits and allergen thresholds.
4. Findings and fixes delivered You receive your findings and recommended fixes, in editable and printable form, within your chosen delivery time.

What is a cosmetic formulation review?

A cosmetic formulation review is an early-stage diagnostic check of a draft or existing formula. It tests whether every ingredient is permitted, used within its legal limit and suitable for the intended product type, and it tells you what to change before you commission a Cosmetic Product Safety Report (CPSR).

The ingredient rules sit in Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, which applies in the EU and, as amended for Great Britain, in GB. Its annexes list prohibited substances (Annex II), restricted substances (Annex III) and the only colourants, preservatives and UV filters allowed (Annexes IV–VI). Review or validation? Choose a review while the formula can still change; if your formula is finished and you need a documented pass before the CPSR, choose formulation compliance validation instead.

What the cosmetic formulation review checks

Annex II–VI screening:

• Prohibited substances (Annex II) — banned ingredients, including impurities and traces shown in supplier data.
• Restricted substances (Annex III) — maximum concentrations, product-type limits and mandatory label warnings.
• Colourants, preservatives and UV filters (Annexes IV–VI) — only listed substances, within their maximum limits and purity criteria.

Concentration and product type:

• Rinse-off versus leave-on — the same ingredient can be allowed in one and banned in the other. Methylisothiazolinone, for example, is permitted only in rinse-off products, at up to 0.0015%.
• SCCS guidance — concentrations compared with the SCCS Notes of Guidance (12th revision) for the intended use and area of application.

Fragrance and allergens:

• IFRA Standards — fragrance ingredients checked against the IFRA limit for your product category (51st Amendment).
• Allergen thresholds — allergens that must be named on the label above 0.001% in leave-on and 0.01% in rinse-off products, including the allergens added for the EU by Regulation (EU) 2023/1545.

What you get back:

Every problem is listed with the rule it breaks and a recommended fix, such as a lower concentration, an alternative ingredient or a required label warning.

Legal framework

• Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (EU Cosmetics Regulation) — sets the ingredient rules in Annexes II–VI.
• Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 as it applies in Great Britain — amended for GB by Schedule 34 to the Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/696).
• Annex II — prohibited substances.
• Annex III — restricted substances, including fragrance allergen labelling thresholds.
• Annexes IV, V and VI — permitted colourants, preservatives and UV filters.
• Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 — adds fragrance allergens to Annex III for the EU; new products placed on the EU market from 31 July 2026 must comply.
• SCCS Notes of Guidance (12th revision, SCCS/1647/22) — the scientific basis safety assessors use for concentrations and exposure.
• IFRA Standards (51st Amendment) — the fragrance industry's use limits for fragrance ingredients.

Official sources:

• Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products (EUR-Lex)
• Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 as it applies in the UK (legislation.gov.uk)
• Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 on fragrance allergen labelling (EUR-Lex)
• SCCS Notes of Guidance, 12th revision (European Commission)

Why brands choose Phoenix for a cosmetic formulation review

• Fixes, not just findings — every issue comes with a recommended change
• Problems caught before the CPSR, when changing the formula costs least
• Annexes II–VI, SCCS guidance and IFRA checked in one review
• Fast delivery options — Standard Delivery (72 Hours), Fast Delivery (48 Hours) or Priority Delivery (24 Hours)
• Trusted by 1,400+ brands over 14 years, including The Beard Struggle, The Essence Vault, Parfum Fabric and Junaid Jamshed

Book your cosmetic formulation review today. Choose your delivery speed above, or message us on WhatsApp on +44 7346 009332 if you are not sure whether your formula needs a review or a validation.

Frequently asked questions