Cosmetics Packaging Testing

Cosmetic packaging testing is essential for ensuring the safety of cosmetic products, which is mandated in Europe by Regulation (EC) n°1223/2009. This regulation requires that any product placed on the market is safe for human health under normal usage conditions. Effective cosmetics packaging testing is vital as it helps identify any harmful chemical substances that could be released from the packaging into the product. By prioritizing testing, manufacturers can assure the quality, safety, and integrity of both the packaging and the packaged cosmetic products, ensuring consumer safety and regulatory compliance. Additionally, new challenges for compliance and safety may arise when using recycled plastics or novel packaging materials. To address these quality, safety, sustainability and innovation challenges, you will need a cosmetics packaging testing partner such as Intertek to support your cosmetics packaging lifecycle. 

Regulatory Testing Support
Intertek offers analytical solutions that comply with cosmetic regulations and meet your quality, safety, and efficiency requirements. We have extensive experience in adapting established food contact testing procedures for the evaluation of cosmetic packaging. Our analytical expertise includes conducting overall and specific migration tests, phthalate testing using GC-MS, primary aromatic amines (PAAs) migration testing, and PAH migration assessments in accordance with Ausschuss für Produktsicherheit (AfPS) standards. Additionally, we evaluate the migration of PCBs, bisphenols, dioxins, furans using a range of chromatographic methods and heavy metals using ICP-MS, employing relevant simulants or extraction solvents as needed. 

Our scientists routinely design analytical studies for migration of species from recycled materials used in packaging, using a combination of GC-MS and LC-QToF-MS techniques to detect and quantify any packaging ingredients and Non-Intentionally Added Substances (NIAS) that could have formed during production or recycling processes.

Our scientists routinely design analytical studies for migration of species from recycled materials used in packaging, using a combination of GC-MS and LC-QToF-MS techniques to detect and quantify any packaging ingredients and Non-Intentionally Added Substances (NIAS) that could have formed during production or recycling processes.

Sustainability and Use of Recycled Materials in Cosmetics Packaging Testing
The cosmetics industry is increasingly using recycled plastics for packaging and this trend is expected to continue, largely driven by upcoming regulations that mandate recycled content in packaging. Current practices largely use food-contact grade recyclates due to established safety assessments that ensure their compatibility with food-grade virgin plastics. Recycled plastics derived from other types of waste often fail to meet the stringent legal requirements for food contact, necessitating dedicated safety assessments before they can be used in cosmetic packaging. The need for such assessments arises because existing frameworks based on food contact approvals do not apply. 

Guidelines from industry bodies and stakeholder groups such as the CosPaTox Consortium or the joint ELIPSO-FEBEA working group address safety challenges associated with incorporating recycled plastics in cosmetics packaging. These outline a systematic approach focused on using recycled HDPE, LDPE, PET and PP materials, which are highly important to the cosmetic products, detergents, and home care products industries.

Our CircularAssure scientists routinely design materials characterization studies focused on extracting and migrating species from pellets of recycled cosmetic packaging, using a combination of GC-MS techniques for both nontargeted screening methods to identify and quantify migrated substances. In addition, specific types of targeted analyses need to be performed (e.g. by LC-MS) to cover substances which are not detectable in GC/MS. This includes NIAS screening for substances that could have formed during production or recycling processes. Our regulatory consultants perform safety assessments and toxicological risk assessments. 

Innovation in cosmetics packaging materials is vital for brands to meet sustainability goals, enhance user experience, and differentiate in a competitive market. Developing new materials like recycled plastics, bioplastics, and plant-based sources reduces environmental impact and appeals to eco-conscious consumers. Testing these materials is critical to ensure the durability of materials’ properties, compatibility with products, and safety. Proper testing ensures packaging preserves product integrity, prevents contamination, and meets regulatory standards. Our team of scientists have worked with innovators worldwide, providing rigorous testing to help brands build consumer trust, enabling them to launch innovative, sustainable, and high-quality packaging solutions confidently. Our expertise covers all types of packaging materials – paper, corrugated cardboard, flexible and rigid plastic, textiles, metal, glass, ceramics, silicon and other similar products. 

Regulatory Compliance Testing and Support 

• Testing accordance with Regulation No (EC) 1223/2009, EC 10/2011, CosPaTox or ELIPSO – FEBEA guidance
• Testing in accordance with EU 2022/1616 for packaging that contains recycled plastics and the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)
• Migration studies: overall migration, specific migration
• Specialist NIAS studies
• Restricted or prohibited substances analysis (e.g. BPA, phthalates, PFAS (ISO 21675:2019))
• Stability studies 
• Preservative efficacy
• Toxicological risk assessments and food contact materials regulatory assurance

Enabling materials innovation of packaging for cosmetics products

• Material properties (polymer, plastics, card, paper, novel materials, natural source materials)
• Performance testing and properties (physical/mechanical testing/thermal) when using alternative additives or post-consumer recyclates are added or after lightweighting strategies
• Compatibility with ingredients, coatings, adhesives
• Raw materials testing and validation programs
• Failure investigations
• Durability and protection from micro-organisms (ISO 846)

Boosting Sustainability for Packaging for Cosmetics

• Biodegradability/compostability
• Performance, properties, quality and safety testing of recycled materials
• Chemical composition of recycled materials
• Product resource consumption, Carbon Footprint/LCA
• Recycled Content Verification
• Eco-Claims Verification