Hair straightening cosmetic products may contain formaldehyde (FA). In Europe, FA is permitted for use in personal care products at concentrations ⩽ 0.2g/100g. According to the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel products are safe when formalin (a 37% saturated solution of FA in water) concentration does not exceed 0.2g/100g (0.074 g/100g calculated as FA). The official method of reference does not discriminate between "free" FA and FA released into the air after heating FA donors. The method presented here captures and collects the FA released into the air from heated cosmetic products by derivatization with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine and final analysis by UPLC/DAD instrument. Reliable data in terms of linearity, recovery, repeatability and sensitivity are obtained. On a total of 72 market cosmetic products analyzed, 42% showed FA concentrations very close to or above the threshold value (0.074 g/100g calculated as FA) suggested by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review committee, whereas 11 products, negative using the official method of reference, were close to or above the threshold value (0.074 g/100g calculated as FA). This may pose a health problem for occasional users and professional hair stylists.
Keywords: Analytical method; Cosmetic safety; Formaldehyde; Fraud control; Hair smoothing products.
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