European Observatory for Nanomaterials

Nanomaterials in cosmetics - explore the new infographic

Nanomaterials are used across almost all industrial sectors to add specific properties to many products, including cosmetics. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, for example, are used as UV filters in sunscreen which can help to protect you from skin damage caused by the Sun’s rays.

To inform consumers, the European Commission has published a catalogue of nanomaterials used in cosmetic products on the EU market. You can search this catalogue and find out which products contain nanomaterials and what properties the nanomaterials add to them.

You can now easily find examples of this information by visiting the new infographic published on the EUON website. It shows the nanomaterials that may be present in some commonly used cosmetic products. 

The infographic was produced by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) for the European Union Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) with the support from the European Union through the SMP-COSME programme.