Glossary

The terms used on Compoatlas, each defined in one sentence that can be quoted alone.

INCI name: International name of a cosmetic ingredient, the one the ingredient list printed on the pack must use (EU glossary of common ingredient names, Regulation (EU) 2025/1175).
CosIng: European Commission database of cosmetic ingredients: names, functions and entries of the annexes of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009.
Annex II: List of substances prohibited in cosmetic products in the European Union.
Annex III: List of substances allowed with restrictions: maximum concentration, product types, warnings to print.
Annexes IV, V and VI: Positive lists of colorants (IV), preservatives (V) and UV filters (VI): only those listed may be used for that purpose, under their conditions.
CLP Regulation: Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 classifying chemicals by their hazards; its Annex VI gives the classifications harmonised in the EU.
CMR: Carcinogenic, mutagenic (damages DNA) or toxic for reproduction. Category 1A: known; 1B: presumed; 2: suspected.
Hazard and risk: A hazard is a property of the pure substance; the risk of a product also depends on dose and exposure. A classification describes a hazard, not the risk of a product containing it.
Endocrine disruptor: Substance that alters the hormonal system and causes adverse effects. Compoatlas uses ECHA's Candidate List, which identifies them formally.
SCCS: EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety: it issues the opinions on which the Commission bases restrictions on cosmetic ingredients.
Allergen to declare: Fragrance substance that must be named in the ingredient list above 0.001% in a leave-on product and 0.01% in a rinse-off product (Annex III).
[nano]: Mandatory mention after the name of an ingredient present as a nanomaterial (Article 19 of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009).
“May contain” or [+/-]: Colorants that may or may not be present depending on the batch or the shade of a range.
Placing on the market, making available: Placing on the market is the first supply of a product in the EU; making available covers any later sale, shop stocks included. A new rule often sets a date for each.
Safety Gate: EU rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products, cosmetics included.
RappelConso: Official French website for product recalls.
Compl'Alim: French online service where food supplements sold in France are declared; a declaration is not an authorisation.
Tolerable upper intake level (UL): Maximum daily intake unlikely to cause adverse effects over a lifetime, according to EFSA; it covers the whole diet, supplements included, except for magnesium and folate, whose limit covers added intakes only (supplements, fortified foods).
Novel food: Food not consumed to a significant degree in the EU before 15 May 1997: it must be authorised before sale (Regulation (EU) 2015/2283).
Health claim: Statement linking a nutrient or food to a health effect; only those authorised by the EU may appear on a supplement.