Nanotechnology in Cosmetics (NanoTrust Dossier No. 008en – December 2010)

Like other sectors, the cosmetics industry resorts to developments in the field of nanotechnologies. Encapsulation and carrier systems like liposomes, nanoemulsions, microemulsions or lipid nanoparticles serve to transport agents to deeper skin layers. Nano particles of titan dioxide and zinc oxide are used as UV filters in sunscreens. According to the producers, cosmetic products with nano minerals, nano-scaled gold and silver or fullerenes can be found on the market. While, according to our present state of knowledge, soluble or degradable nano materials are not considered critical for health, there are as yet no unambiguous results for the assessment of the potential toxic effects on humans and the ecosystem of non-soluble or non-degradable nano materials. Some studies, however, give hints of potential negative health effects. This needs to be studied in more detail within the framework of a comprehensive risk assessment – as insisted on by, among others, the EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) and a number of environmental and consumer organisations