Salon professionals are both users and recommenders of cosmetic products. The products you apply to clients and the products you retail carry your professional reputation. When a product causes an adverse reaction — contact dermatitis, scalp irritation, allergic response — the client associates the harm with your salon, not the manufacturer.
EU Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 requires that cosmetic products placed on the market are safe for human health under normal or reasonably foreseeable conditions of use. The FDA's MoCRA (2022) introduces adverse event reporting requirements and facility registration for cosmetic manufacturers and processors. Understanding the ingredients in your products is a professional responsibility that these regulations underscore.
Step 1: Locate the ingredient list. All cosmetic products sold in the EU, UK, and US must display an ingredient list using INCI nomenclature. This list appears on the product packaging or, for small products, on accompanying documentation.
Step 2: Enter the INCI names into the tool. Copy the ingredient list exactly as printed on the product. INCI names are standardized internationally, which allows the tool to cross-reference them against regulatory databases.
Step 3: Select the applicable regulatory framework. Choose EU (Regulation 1223/2009), US (FDA/MoCRA), or UK regulations. Requirements differ between jurisdictions — an ingredient permitted in one market may be restricted or prohibited in another.
Step 4: Review each flagged ingredient. The tool categorizes results:
Step 5: Take action on flagged ingredients. For restricted ingredients, verify that the product's concentration falls within permitted limits. For prohibited ingredients, discontinue use and contact the supplier. For ingredients with mandatory warnings, ensure your salon communicates these to clients.
Step 6: Save your records. Export the ingredient check for your salon's product safety documentation.
Use our free tool to check your compliance instantly.
Try it free →A hair salon evaluating a new Brazilian keratin treatment checks the ingredients and discovers that the product contains formaldehyde at a level flagged as restricted under EU regulations. The salon chooses an alternative treatment that achieves similar results without the restricted ingredient.
A nail technician checking the ingredients of a new UV gel system identifies a UV filter that is permitted in the EU but not approved for the specific product type under US regulations — relevant because the salon serves both domestic and international clients.
Q: Do I need chemistry knowledge to use the tool?
A: No. The tool works with INCI names as printed on product labels. You enter the names, and the tool handles the regulatory cross-referencing.
Q: How current is the regulatory data?
A: The tool references the current published annexes of EU Regulation 1223/2009 and equivalent US and UK regulatory lists. Regulatory updates are incorporated as they take effect.
Q: Should I check every product in my salon?
A: Checking all products when first introduced to your salon is good practice. Prioritize professional-use products (colorants, treatments, chemical services) that contain active ingredients at higher concentrations.
Use the Ingredient Safety Checker →
Track all your salon products with MmowW's Chemical Inventory Manager and assess your salon's overall hygiene compliance with the Hygiene Assessment tool.
MmowW's salon safety SaaS provides ongoing ingredient monitoring and compliance management. Start your 14-day free trial — $29.99/month.
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