Cosmetic products made available on the market are continuously controlled by the responsible monitoring authorities and assessed by cosmetics experts. These market controls and the predominantly responsible cosmetics manufacturers ensure that cosmetic products are safe and harmless to the health of consumers. The examination and assessment of the official samples takes place at our premises in Vienna as well as at the food testing institutes of the provinces of Carinthia and Vorarlberg.

Our task is to test cosmetic products together with the testing institutes of the federal states, the Federal Ministry of Health and the food supervisory authorities of the federal states by taking samples on the market (drugstores, department stores, supermarkets, health food shops, organic food shops, markets, trade fairs) and directly from manufacturers and importers.

Our GEKO department (Consumer Goods and Cosmetic Products, Institute for Food Safety Vienna) examines the products for compliance with the substance regulations, checks the labelling and assesses the products based on the findings. Between 700 and 1,000 cosmetic products are assessed each year.

The range of tests for cosmetic products includes chemical-physical analyses, hygiene requirements and testing in accordance with legal regulations.

The chemical testing primarily relates to the ingredients regulated by Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009 - i.e. prohibited (Annex II) and restricted substances (Annex III), preservatives (Annex V) and light protection filters (Annex VI) - and to undesirable substances such as impurities (e.g. heavy metals) and residues.

Microbiological results are another important assessment criterion for cosmetic products. The guideline values used for the assessment are based on the requirements for the microbiological quality of finished cosmetic products in ÖNORM EN ISO 17516: 2015 01 01 Cosmetic products - Microbiology - Microbiological limits and the SCCS Notes of Guidance (see Appendix 9: Guideline on Microbiological Quality of the finished cosmetic Product).

The labelling elements required by the Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009 are also checked.

In order to avoid misleading the consumer, particularly emphasised effects and advertising claims are checked on the basis of analytical tests and/or the documents submitted by the person responsible. Cosmetic products must not mislead the consumer by means of labelling, claims, presentation or statements on the effect of the product that the product does not possess. Any claimed effect of a cosmetic product must therefore be substantiated (see Article 20 "Advertising claims" of Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009 and Regulation (EU) No. 655/2013 establishing common criteria for substantiating claims made in relation to cosmetic products and the Guideline to this Regulation).

In addition, company audits of manufacturers and importers are carried out by the food supervisory authority, which includes a review of good manufacturing practice (GMP).

If you are interested in our analytical services, please feel free to contact us.

A marketability report is not required by law, but can also be commissioned at the request of the person responsible or the retailer. In order to issue a marketability certificate, the cosmetic product is examined in accordance with current food law regulations. Authorised experts for cosmetic products as well as cosmetics experts from AGES and the testing institutes of the federal states are entitled to issue such certificates.

A list of the food and cosmetics assessors working in Austria and authorised by the Ministry of Health in accordance with Section 73 LMSVG can be found in the BMASGPK list (cosmetics assessors are authorised for Group C Z 9 "Cosmetic products" and cosmetics safety assessors also require Group F Z 13 "Toxicological assessment of goods subject to the Food Safety and Consumer Protection Act - LMSVG" (restricted to goods in Group C Z 9 - cosmetic products)).

Prerequisites and requirements for safety assessors and experts are explained on the website of the BMASGPK. Marketability assessments are subject to a fee.