Will Hops Leap Beyond Beer Into Personal Care?

The 140th Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel Meeting met last month. Here’s a look at some details regarding the ingredients:
 
Final Safety Assessments 
• Citrus Peel-Derived Ingredients – 47 ingredients 
• Fatty Acyl Sarcosines and Their Salts – 14 ingredients 
• Helianthus annuus (Sunflower)-Derived Ingredients – 12 ingredients 
• Phosphoric Acid and Its Salts – 31 ingredients 
• Polyglyceryl Fatty Acid Esters – 274 ingredients 
• Trimellitic Anhydride Copolymers – 6 ingredients 
 
Tentative Safety Assessments 
• Acryloyldimethyltaurate Polymers – 21 ingredients 
• Butyrospermum parkii (Shea)-Derived Ingredients – 13 ingredients 
• Citrus Flower- and Leaf-Derived Ingredients – 33 ingredients 
• Citrus Plant- and Seed-Derived Ingredients – 32 ingredients 
• Etidronic Acid and Its Salts – 4 ingredients 
• Hydrofluorocarbon 152a – 1 ingredient 
• Rosa Canina-Derived Ingredients – 12 ingredients 
 
 Insufficient Data Announcement 
• Humulus lupulus (Hops)-Derived Ingredients – 6 ingredients 
 
The data needs for the hops are: Composition and sensitization for Humulus Lupulus (Hops) Extract at maximum concentration of use (0.6%); Composition for Humulus Lupulus (Hops) Stem Extract.
 
This is the first time that the panel is seeing this report on Humulus lupulus (Hops). These ingredients are reported to function in cosmetics as antimicrobial agents, antiperspirant agents, fragrance ingredients, hair conditioning agents and skin-conditioning agents – miscellaneous. All of these ingredients are derived from part or all of the Humulus lupulus (commonly called hops) plant, which is generally known as an ingredient in the brewing of beer.
 
• Alkane Diols – 10 ingredients 
 
The additional data needed included: Method of manufacturing data for all ingredients; Impurities data for all ingredients, particularly indicating whether or not 2,5-Hexanediol is an impurity of Hexanediol i.e., 1,6-Hexanediol); Additional Penetration Enhancement data for all ingredients; Neurotoxicity data for Isopentyldiol; Concentration of use data for 1,4-Butanediol.
 
This is also the first time the panel is seeing this report on Alkane Diols’ 10 cosmetic ingredients that are simple, small diols, many of which are used as solvents in cosmetics. These ingredients are also reported to be used as humectants and skin conditioning agents, and some are known penetration enhancers.
 
For these insufficient data announcements, interested persons are given an opportunity to comment, provide information and/or request an oral hearing before the CIR Expert Panel. Information may be submitted without identifying the source or the trade name of the cosmetic product containing the ingredient. All unpublished data submitted to CIR will be discussed in open meetings, and are available for review by any interested party. Submit data and/or comments to CIR by Nov. 11, 2016. These reports may be scheduled for review by the CIR Expert Panel at its next session on Dec.5-6, 2016 in Washington, DC.