At the present time, cosmetic regulations in Europe, Japan, and the US do not contain lists of approved cosmetic ingredients with the notable exception of colorants, preservatives, and certain actives. For general cosmetic ingredients (other then the categories previously mentioned) the regulations in Japan, Europe, and US allow for usage as long as the safety of the final cosmetic has been substantiated. Therefore, when talking about legislative approval for a particular effect pigment, it is important to note that you are really talking about the color additive component (s).

In this context, all of the color additives used in ECKART pigments are approved for use in Japan, Europe and the US. Since the list of approved color additives varies broadly from region to region, a component may not necessarily be listed as approved for use. A good example is mica, which is not considered a colorant in Europe or Japan, but is of course approved for use in cosmetics. Also, the regulations are specific to the type of cosmetic a colorant may be used in. For example, aluminum is approved in the US, European Union and Japan as a cosmetic colorant, under all cosmetic applications except for lip products in the USA.

For bronze and copper, there is no history of previous use in cosmetics or quasi drugs in Japan, but it is acceptable for cosmetic ingredients under the new regulations effective March 2001. Bronze and copper are not regulated as colorants in Japan. Bronze and copper are regulated under the general requirements for cosmetic ingredients. Since the Visionaire® products have been safety tested and bronze and copper shades have a history of use in the rest of the cosmetic world, they meet the general requirements for Japanese cosmetic ingredients.

The Prestige Silk line of products, e.g. Prestige Silk Red, has the smallest particle size, averaging about 12 microns.
The shades without any modification e.g. Prestige Red or Visionaire Cinnamon have an average particle size of about 20 microns.
The Bright series, e.g. Prestige Bright Red or Visionaire Bright Cinnamon have an average particle size of about 34 microns.
The Sparkling series, e.g.Prestige Sparkling Silver has an average particle size of 62 microns.

The Dazzling line of products, e.g. Dazzling Silver, has the largest particle size, averaging approximately 95 microns. It is not recommended to use the Dazzling grades for the eye area. Generally pearlescent pigments up to 150 microns are accepted for the eye area use.

Our cosmetic grade effect pigments are not hazardous in cosmetic formulations if used appropriately according to recommendations, found in ECKART's technical literature and MSDS. In addition, all of the components of our cosmetic grade pigments meet the high standards of purity and microbial content limits recommended by CTFA and FDA. From a manufacturing or handling perspective, the MSDS for each pigment should be consulted for detailed information on any handling precautions that should be followed. Avoid situations which create airborne dust for safety, health and housekeeping.

Our products have not been tested on animals.

The FDA regulates colorants that may be used in cosmetics. These regulations may be found in volume 21, of the Code of Federal Regulations ( the FDA web site is at www. FDA.gov). The safety of the color additives listed in these regulations have been investigated, and found to be suitable for their recommended use. Since the color additive components of our pigments comply with the requirement of 21CFR and can therefore be regarded as "FDA approved," no further individual approval is necessary. Non-color additive components are not listed in FDA regulations and do not require approval – in other words they may be used in cosmetics as long as the safety of the final cosmetic has been substantiated.

As always, however, regulations change over time and we strongly encourage a review of the current legislation to confirm compliance.

Almost all of our pigments may be used by themselves for decorative effects, but as with any other cosmetic, care should be taken to insure that the finished product is appropriately preserved and stability tested within a formulation. Also, certain components may not be suitable for a specific use. For example, aluminum pigments are not allowed for lip area use in the US, and the Dazzling line of pearlescent pigments is not recommended for eye area use.

Most of ECKARTs products are composite materials consisting of two or more components. In all cases, the INCI (International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient) name, CAS number and EINECS number for each component may be found on the official technical data sheet for the product in question, as well as in the product brochures.