Canada Restricts Pigment Red 4 in Cosmetics

Canada has added pigment red 4 to its list of restricted substances in cosmetics, according to recently published amendments to its Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist.

The list lays out the substances that are inappropriate for use in cosmetics, are restricted, or that require hazard labelling. It was last updated in 2015.

The government's changes follow a proposal made last November. Pigment red 4 is added to its list of restricted substances, with a maximum concentration of 3% permitted. Action on the Dye was taken due to "potential health concerns" identified under the nation’s Chemicals Management Plan (CMP).

The list reflects changes relating to the preservative methylisothiazolinone (MI). They include its prohibition in leave-on cosmetic products, and a reduction of the maximum allowed concentration in rinse-off products to 0.0015%, due to the risk of sensitisation. This brings Canada’s regulation in line with Europe’s.

The update also clarifies that a mixture with methylchloroisothiazolinone (MI/MCI), when used in the same product as MI alone, cannot exceed a total combined concentration of 0.0015%.

The government has added information to its entry on the biocide, chloramine T, and expanded a ban on OLEANDRIN to cover the entire nerium oleander plant.