California Cosmetic Compliance Services
Navigate California's Complex Cosmetic Regulations with Confidence
Selling cosmetics in California requires more than complying with federal regulations. Brands must also meet specific California requirements, including the California Safe Cosmetics Program (CSCP), Proposition 65, CARB regulations, and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) restrictions.
Biorius helps cosmetic brands, manufacturers, importers, and retailers assess product compliance, identify regulatory risks, implement corrective actions, and gain access to the California market with confidence.
California Compliance Within Your U.S. Market Access Strategy
Successfully marketing cosmetic products in California requires consideration of both federal and state requirements.
While federal regulations establish baseline requirements for cosmetic products marketed in the United States, California has introduced additional obligations that may affect:
- Product formulations
- Ingredient reporting
- Labeling requirements
- Toxicological evaluations
- Environmental compliance
For many companies, California compliance becomes a critical step in their U.S. market access strategy.
Looking for broader U.S. compliance support?
Understanding California Cosmetic Regulations
California’s cosmetic regulatory framework is built around four key compliance areas:
California Safe Cosmetics Program (CSCP)
Reporting of ingredients identified as potentially hazardous.
Proposition 65
Assessment of substances associated with cancer, reproductive toxicity, or developmental toxicity.
California Air Resources Board (CARB)
Environmental requirements designed to reduce air pollution.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
Restrictions on compounds that contribute to atmospheric emissions.
California Compliance Requirements in Detail
California Safe Cosmetics Program (CSCP)
Reporting Ingredients of Concern
In 2005, California established the California Safe Cosmetics Program, becoming the first U.S. state to introduce cosmetic ingredient safety reporting requirements.
The program was created to protect consumers and promote the manufacture of safer cosmetic products. Unlike CARB, which focuses on environmental protection, the California Safe Cosmetics Program focuses primarily on ingredient safety.
The regulation requires cosmetic companies to identify products containing ingredients recognized as hazardous or potentially hazardous and report them to the relevant California authorities.
Reporting obligations must be maintained whenever:
- Product formulations change
- New ingredients are introduced
- Additional substances are added to California’s lists of concern
The program references ingredients identified by recognized authorities, including:
- Proposition 65
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
- Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction (CERHR)
How Biorius Helps
To conduct a California Safe Cosmetics Program evaluation, Biorius reviews:
- Product formulations
- Raw material compositions
- Product categories
- Product-specific characteristics
This assessment allows our experts to determine whether ingredients are subject to California reporting requirements.
Deliverables
When a product complies with the California Safe Cosmetics Program, Biorius issues a compliance certificate including:
- Applicable legislation
- Concentration of hazardous ingredients
- Expert conclusions
- Recommended modifications where necessary
Proposition 65 Compliance
Evaluating Warning Requirements
California’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act, commonly known as Proposition 65, was introduced in 1986.
The regulation applies to products sold in California, including cosmetic products and over-the-counter products. Its objective is to identify products that may expose consumers to substances associated with cancer, reproductive toxicity, or developmental toxicity.
The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) maintains and updates the Proposition 65 list, which contains hundreds of chemicals identified as potentially harmful.
When required, warnings must be clearly visible, understandable, and prominently displayed on labeling materials.
Two Possible Assessment Scenarios
Safe Harbor Levels Available
When California has established safe harbor levels for a listed substance, the assessment involves:
- Identifying affected ingredients.
- Determining whether warnings are required based on applicable limits.
No Safe Harbor Levels Available
When no official limits exist, a more extensive toxicological evaluation is required.
This may involve:
- Review of published toxicological data
- Cancer potency evaluations
- NSRL calculations
- MADL derivations
- Exposure assessments using OEHHA methodologies
How Biorius Helps
Biorius evaluates:
- Product composition
- Raw material composition
- Product category
- Product-specific characteristics
Based on the assessment, our experts determine whether warnings are required and provide recommendations where necessary.
Deliverables
When compliance is demonstrated, Biorius provides:
- Proposition 65 compliance certificate
- Applicable legislation
- Ingredient concentrations
- Expert conclusions
- Required warning statements, where applicable
Additional toxicological reports may also be provided when required to justify the presence or absence of warnings.
California Air Resources Board (CARB)
Environmental Compliance for Cosmetic Products
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is responsible for protecting public health by reducing air pollution and supporting climate change initiatives.
California regulates certain environmental aspects of cosmetic products differently from the rest of the United States through CARB requirements.
Since 1967, CARB has established restrictions on substances that contribute to air pollution, particularly within cosmetic products containing volatile compounds.
These requirements frequently apply to categories such as:
- Hair sprays
- Fragrances
- Nail care products
- Other products associated with VOC emissions
How Biorius Helps
Our experts determine:
- The concentration of regulated substances
- The total CARB concentration within the product
- Compliance with category-specific requirements
Where necessary, recommendations for product modifications are provided.
Deliverables
Products found compliant receive a certificate including:
- Applicable legislation
- CARB concentration calculations
- Expert conclusions
- Recommended modifications where necessary
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
Assessing VOC Restrictions
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are substances that easily become vapors or gases and may enter the body through inhalation or skin contact.
Many VOCs are found in everyday consumer products, including cosmetic products.
Long-term exposure to certain VOCs has been associated with respiratory issues, headaches, and other health concerns. As a result, both federal and California regulations impose limits on VOC concentrations for specific cosmetic categories.
While federal requirements apply throughout the United States, California imposes additional requirements through CARB regulations.
How Biorius Helps
Our assessment includes:
- Identification of VOC-containing ingredients
- Calculation of VOC concentrations
- Evaluation against applicable requirements
- Compliance determination
Corrective actions are provided when necessary.
Deliverables
When compliance is achieved, Biorius issues a certificate including:
- Applicable legislation
- VOC concentrations
- Expert conclusions
- Recommended modifications where necessary
Ready to Assess Your California Compliance Requirements?
Whether you need support with the California Safe Cosmetics Program, Proposition 65, CARB requirements, or VOC restrictions, Biorius can help you understand your obligations and evaluate your products against California’s regulatory requirements.
Get in Touch
Need a piece of advice, a quotation or answers to your questions?
Fill in this form or contact us directly: info@biorius.com – We will answer as soon as possible!
As specialists in cosmetic Regulations for more than 15 years, Biorius offers a reliable turnkey solution for placing cosmetic products in various markets:
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We evaluated more than 50,000 products and have always successfully managed compliance over 15 years of existence
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