ANIMAL TESTING IN COSMETOLOGY Ever since it has been the aim of Schwarzkopf to develop cosmetic products of a high qualitative standard. Quality means in this context optimum effectiveness linked with maximum safety. Optimum effectiveness is reached by continuous product maintenance, that means improvement of cosmetic products put on the market by the use of new modes of action or innovative active agents. Maximum safety is tried to be reached by a critical review of all newly developed products by analysing each single ingredient and the finished products as a whole under the aspects of dermatology microbiology, toxicology and ecology. Thorough safety evaluation of a cosmetic product is necessary - to prevent reactions of incompatibilit y on users - as, for example, by allergic reactions -, - to guarantee maximum safety of application on occupational use of the preparation - for example by hairdressers, - to reduce the risks of erroneous use of a product - for example, by accidental ingestion by infants, - and, finally, to comply with the large number of national and superior European laws, regulations and recommendations (for example, national Regulations on Cosmetic Products and EC-Directives on Cosmetic Products). Animal testing is not undertaken for safety control of newly developed products or products already in the market. For the substantiation of safety of a cosmetic product a larger number of methods are available today, which, if used in combination, allow to do completely without animal testing. In addition to literature research and the use of modern information systems for the safety of chemicals, safety evaluation of a cosmetic product is based on the physical- chemical knowledge of formula components, on known toxicological data of ingredients, on information about comparable products as well as on a detailed testing of skin compatibility done by dermatologists on voluntary panelists. - 2 -
