Beauty Care Topics
We are the right experts for all questions about cosmetic products and ingredients as well as beauty care and wellbeing.
Safety/Product
Cosmetic nail modelling
Cosmetic products for nail modelling (nail design) which contain hydroquinone, hydroquinone methyl ether or benzoyl peroxide, must be provided with warnings on the package according to cosmetics legislation. Manufacturers must point out that these are only intended for commercial purposes, that skin contact must be avoided and that the instructions for use must be complied with.
Nail modelling agents which contain these substances are used in two technically different systems for nail modelling: in powder/liquid systems and in light-curing systems. Since they are used to style artificial nails on the body’s own nail, they are classified as cosmetic products.
Responsibility of the manufacturer
As such they are governed in Germany by the Food, Commodities and Feed Code (LFGB) as well as the Cosmetics Ordinance (KVO). Products such as nail adhesives are, however, covered by chemical legislation. Auxiliary materials such as nail files, UV lamps and disinfectants are governed by separate regulations.
The package must be provided with the address of a responsible manufacturer or importer with registered office within the EU. The latter takes over full responsibility for the safety and legal conformity of the product.
IKW Working Group “Nail modelling agents”
The Competence Partner Beauty Care within IKW has compiled the provisions of cosmetics legislation in the document "General information for manufacturers and distributors of cosmetic products in Germany".
Questions relating to nail modelling are covered by the Working Group “Nail modelling agents” of IKW. In its Group Data Sheets on nail modelling agents for commercial uses it provides additional information.