The EU's January 2026 amendment to the Cosmetics Regulation (Commission Regulation 2026/78) reclassifies silver as a reproductive toxin and restricts carcinogenic preservatives in tattoo inks and PMU formulations, effective May 1, 2026, forcing European studios to audit inventory, verify supplier CoAs, and discontinue non-compliant pigments within six weeks.
What the full article covers
Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/78 reclassifies silver massive, silver powder, and silver nano as Category 2 reproductive toxins, prohibited in cosmetic products from May 1, 2026.
Only micron-sized silver (>100 nm, below powder threshold) remains permitted under strict Annex IV conditions with mandatory labeling.
Hexyl Salicylate and o-Phenylphenol, used as preservatives in some ink formulations, are newly classified as toxic to reproduction and must be phased out.
Nickel release from piercing posts must remain below 0.2 µg/cm²/week under EN 1811:2011+A1:2015; enforcement scrutiny of Mill Certificates has tightened significantly.
Studios found using CMR-prohibited substances after May 1 face administrative fines, product liability, and potential insurance invalidation.
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First published on poliinternational.com. This is a summary of the original engineering article.
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