Sep 24, 2026 - Cosmetics

Silver – regulatory divergence between GB and the EU

Since Brexit in 2020, it has become noticeable that Great Britain is once again following its own regulatory path. In many respects GB still aligns with the EU's legal framework, but the divergence has repeatedly manifested itself in detail – including the use of silver in cosmetic products.

In the EU, the use of silver (powder) [100 nm < particle diameter < 1 mm] is regulated as follows:

0.2% in rinse-off products (including oral hygiene products)
0.3% in leave-on products (including nail products)
0.05% mouthwashes for children
Aerosols are completely excluded from the classification, as no data for risk assessment were available

By contrast, the classification by the SAG-CS (Scientific Advisory Group on Chemical Safety) in GB differs slightly:

0.3% in rinse-off products (excluding oral hygiene products)
0.3% in leave-on products (excluding lip products)
0.2% in lip products
0.05% mouthwashes and toothpastes for all age groups
Aerosols are completely excluded from the classification, as no data for risk assessment were available

Sources: