| Fixed vegetable oils |
Cold-pressed or refined oils such as jojoba, argan, sunflower, sesame, or olive oil |
Botanical identity, plant part, extraction method, origin, fatty-acid profile, peroxide value, acid value, moisture, insoluble impurities, heavy metals, pesticide residues, and microbiological results.
|
The finished cosmetic product must be safe, supported by a Cosmetic Product Safety Report (CPSR), and manufactured according to good manufacturing practice. The oil must be correctly identified in the product information file (PIF).
|
The responsible person must maintain adequate safety substantiation for the finished cosmetic product. The oil supplier should provide records supporting identity, purity, traceability, and contaminant control.
|
Usually not directly subject to IFRA Standards when used only as a carrier or emollient. Any added fragrance or aromatic constituent must be assessed separately.
|
| Essential oils |
Steam-distilled, expressed, or otherwise extracted aromatic oils from leaves, flowers, peels, seeds, roots, or wood |
Botanical name, chemotype where relevant, extraction method, chromatographic profile, allergen profile, adulteration screening, pesticide residues, residual solvents, and phototoxicity information where applicable.
|
Fragrance allergens above the applicable declaration thresholds must be declared on the label. Safety assessment should address sensitisation, phototoxicity, dermal exposure, and restrictions in relevant Annexes.
|
The finished product must have safety substantiation. Ingredient labeling and claims must be truthful and not misleading; fragrance allergens may need consideration under applicable labeling practices and product safety review.
|
IFRA Standards may restrict, prohibit, or limit certain fragrance materials by product category. A current supplier conformity document and intended-use category should be requested.
|
| CO2 extracts and specialty botanical extracts |
Supercritical carbon-dioxide extracts, oleoresins, and concentrated botanical fractions |
Extraction solvent or process, carrier substances, residual solvent data, marker compounds, concentration ratio, botanical authentication, stability, and allergen or sensitizer information.
|
All components must be identified for the PIF and CPSR. Nanomaterial status must be assessed where applicable; ingredients meeting the legal definition of nanomaterial may trigger additional notification and labeling requirements.
|
Safety substantiation must cover the complete ingredient composition, including carriers and processing aids. Product listing and facility obligations apply to the finished cosmetic product and responsible parties, not simply to a raw-material shipment.
|
IFRA assessment is relevant when the extract contributes fragrance or contains restricted aromatic constituents. The supplier should identify naturally occurring constituents of regulatory concern.
|
| Marine or animal-derived oils |
Fish, algae, or other legally permitted animal-derived oils used as emollients or conditioning ingredients |
Species or source identification, sustainability documentation, oxidation markers, contaminants such as dioxins and PCBs where relevant, allergens, microbiology, origin, and applicable animal-origin declarations.
|
The responsible person must verify safety, traceability, and compliance with ingredient restrictions. The PIF should contain specifications and supporting safety data for the complete raw material.
|
Safety substantiation and accurate ingredient information are required for the finished product. Additional import, animal-health, or environmental rules may apply depending on the material and origin.
|
Generally not an IFRA issue unless the material is used for fragrance or contains an aromatic fraction covered by an IFRA Standard.
|
| Recycled or upcycled oils |
Oils recovered or refined from food, agricultural, or processing by-products |
Input-material history, purification steps, contaminant removal validation, batch traceability, PAHs, pesticides, heavy metals, residual solvents, microbiology, stability, and change-control records.
|
The same safety and documentation obligations apply as for other cosmetic ingredients. The PIF and CPSR should explain the manufacturing process and demonstrate that impurities are controlled.
|
The responsible person must maintain safety substantiation and records adequate to support the product’s safety. Supplier changes should be evaluated through documented quality and safety review.
|
IFRA requirements depend on the final composition and fragrance function, not on whether the oil is recycled or upcycled.
|
| Supplier qualification |
Any country or sourcing region |
Legal entity details, manufacturing site, quality system, audit history, certificates of analysis, change-notification procedure, recall capability, minimum order quantity, lead time, and batch-retention policy.
|
Cosmetic manufacturing should follow good manufacturing practice. ISO 22716 is the harmonized reference standard commonly used to demonstrate cosmetic GMP compliance, although supplier certification alone does not replace the responsible person’s legal obligations.
|
MoCRA introduced facility registration and product-listing obligations for applicable U.S. cosmetic operations. Confirm which party is the U.S. responsible person and whether the facility has the required registration status.
|
For fragrance materials, request an IFRA conformity statement for the intended application, together with allergen and restricted-substance information.
|
| Documentation package |
Required before approval of a new oil |
Current specification, certificate of analysis, safety data sheet where applicable, technical data sheet, allergen statement, GMO statement, origin statement, vegan or animal-origin statement where relevant, and traceability documents.
|
The responsible person may need the ingredient composition, purity data, toxicological information, exposure data, and manufacturing information for the CPSR and PIF. Product notification through the Cosmetic Products Notification Portal is required before EU market placement.
|
Maintain safety substantiation, adverse-event support records, and documentation needed for product listing and facility registration where applicable. Serious adverse events must be reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration within 15 business days after receipt of required information.
|
Obtain the relevant IFRA certificate or conformity statement for the exact intended use and concentration. IFRA documentation does not replace a complete cosmetic safety assessment.
|
| Analytical testing |
Release testing and periodic verification |
Identity testing, GC-MS for volatile oils, HPLC where appropriate, fatty-acid profile, peroxide and anisidine values, acid value, refractive index, density, optical rotation where relevant, microbiology, and contaminant testing.
|
Testing should be risk-based and sufficient to support the CPSR, product stability, and specification compliance. Particular attention is needed for allergens, impurities, prohibited substances, and restricted ingredients.
|
MoCRA does not create one universal test panel for every oil. Testing should support reasonable safety substantiation and be appropriate to the product’s intended use, formulation, and exposure.
|
Analytical data can support identification of fragrance constituents and restricted substances, but IFRA conformity must be evaluated against the applicable product category and concentration.
|
| Packaging and transport |
Bulk drums, intermediate bulk containers, or smaller containers |
Food- or cosmetic-compatible packaging, light and oxygen protection, liner compatibility, seal integrity, storage temperature, nitrogen blanketing where appropriate, and transport conditions that limit oxidation and contamination.
|
Packaging and storage conditions should preserve product safety and quality through the stated shelf life. The finished product packaging must meet EU labeling requirements, including responsible-person details and ingredient nomenclature.
|
The finished cosmetic label must contain required information, including an ingredient declaration and applicable responsible-person or business details. Packaging should not create a misleading impression or introduce contamination.
|
IFRA does not generally prescribe bulk-oil packaging. Packaging must nevertheless preserve the composition used to establish fragrance and safety conformity.
|
| Claims and sustainability |
Organic, natural, fair-trade, sustainably sourced, or carbon-related claims |
Certification or verification scope, chain of custody, mass-balance method if used, audit frequency, origin evidence, and substantiation for environmental, ethical, or natural-origin claims.
|
Cosmetic claims must comply with the EU common criteria for cosmetic claims: legal compliance, truthfulness, evidential support, honesty, fairness, and informed decision-making. “Natural” or “organic” wording should be supported by objective evidence.
|
Claims must be truthful, not misleading, and supported by competent evidence. Environmental or sustainability claims should be specific and substantiated rather than based only on broad wording.
|
IFRA Standards address safe use of fragrance materials and do not certify organic, natural, fair-trade, or sustainability claims.
|
| Final compliance checkpoint |
Before commercial launch in each target market |
Confirm approved supplier, final formula, batch specification, stability results, labeling, claims evidence, traceability, complaint handling, and recall procedure.
|
Appoint an EU responsible person, complete the CPSR and PIF, verify GMP, complete required product notification, and ensure compliant labeling before placing the cosmetic product on the EU market.
|
Confirm the U.S. responsible person, facility registration and product-listing requirements where applicable, safety substantiation, label compliance, adverse-event procedures, and recordkeeping.
|
Confirm the correct IFRA product category, maximum permitted concentration where applicable, current conformity documentation, and separate assessment of all fragrance allergens and restricted constituents.
|
