Research Summary
Enclosed is the Draft Report on the Safety Assessment of Charcoal Ingredients as Used in Cosmetics. (It is identified as report_Charcoal_092023 in the PDF document). The Scientific Literature Review (SLR) of four ingredients—Charcoal, Charcoal Extract, Charcoal Powder, and Activated Charcoal—was issued by CIR on April 18, 2023. Although Activated Charcoal is not currently listed in the Dictionary, it is reported to be in use according to both the FDA VCRP database for frequency of use and the concentration of use survey conducted by the Council.
According to 2023 VCRP survey data, Charcoal Powder has the highest frequency of use, being reported in 231 formulations, with the majority used in rinse-off formulations, such as skin cleansing preparations. Activated Charcoal is reported to be used in 53 formulations, also primarily in rinse-off formulations. The concentration of use survey conducted by the Council in 2021 (data_Charcoal_092023) indicates that Charcoal Powder has the highest concentration of use, being used at up to 4.8% in eyeliners and up to 4% in paste masks (mud packs).
No additional unpublished data have been received for this report. Comments provided by the Council on the SLR have been addressed (PCPCcomments_Charcoal_092023 and response-PCPCcomments_Charcoal_092023). Other supporting documents for this report package include a flow chart (flow_Charcoal_092023), report history (history_Charcoal_092023), a search strategy (search_Charcoal_092023), and a data profile (dataprofile_Charcoal_092023).
If no further data are needed to reach a conclusion of safety, the Panel should formulate a Discussion and issue a Tentative Report. However, if additional data are required, the Panel should be prepared to identify those needs and issue an Insufficient Data Announcement.
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