report
7.2.5 Applications and Perspectives

Although nanotechnology has featured in cosmetic formulations for many years, there are only a handful of technologies used, mainly liposomes, nanoemulsions and metal oxide nanoparticles.  These offer advantages and improved characteristics compared with traditional formulations.  Many of the newer technologies being investigated for drug delivery may also have applications in cosmetics.  Along with the formulations discussed in this report, nanoparticles of silver, copper, silicone and silica have been reported as ingredients for cosmetics.  A number of companies also claim to use fullerenes in their products due to the radical scavenging properties [67].  However, there are concerns over their toxicity.

It should be assumed that research in this area is being affected by calls for bans and a moratorium on nanotechnology based cosmetic products by many organisations.  This has led to reluctance to talk about nanotechnology in cosmetics by a number of organisations.

 A list of products claiming to use nanomaterials has been compiled in the report ‘Nanomaterials, sunscreens and cosmetics: Small ingredients, big risks' [68].  (A response to this report was published in Cosmetics & Toiletries Magazine in January 2009 [69]).  The Nanotechnology Consumer Products Inventory, run by the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, aims to list all nanotechnology-based consumer products available.  However, current regulation of cosmetics means that these products may or may not actually be using nanomaterials, and there may be many more that do.

Which?, the UK-based consumer group, published a report titled "Small Wonder? Nanotechnology and Cosmetics" in November 2008 [70].  In this they contacted a number of cosmetics companies about their use of nanotechnology.  Only eight companies agreed to give details of their products.  This could indicate a worrying silence and concealment of the use of nanomaterials in cosmetic products.  The report highlighted a lack of information available on nanoscale ingredients in cosmetics and the safety concerns about this.  They proposed the development of new regulation for reporting and assessing the use of nanomaterials in cosmetics.

Updated regulation and increased information sharing has also been called for by the SCCP (EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Products) and the European Commission.  Recently, MEPs approved updates on cosmetic legislation [71].  The changes apply across all 27 member states and will come into effect from 2012.  The new regulations introduce a safety assessment procedure for all products containing nanomaterials, which could lead to a ban on a substance if there is a risk to human health.  Also, any nanomaterials present in cosmetics must be mentioned in the list of ingredients on the packaging.  The establishment of an official EU-wide register for cosmetics was also proposed.

Toxicity of nanomaterials is currently the subject of an increasing amount of research.  Further investigation by academia and industry is required before materials can be deemed as safe.  This research, along with better regulation and reporting, will enable consumers to choose products with confidence.  This in turn will allow companies to benefit from these novel technologies in the long term while retaining customer confidence.