SCCS Finds Vitamin K1 Oxide Not Safe In Cosmetics At Up To 1%

The EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has concluded in preliminary advice that phytonadione epoxide, also called vitamin K1 oxide, is not safe in cosmetics at concentrations up to 1%. Adopted on 4 November 2026 and published the following day, the advice concerns the ingredient identified by CAS number 25486-55-9.

The assessment covers cosmetic use, including skin-conditioning formulations. The committee’s review discusses facial products and eye-contour creams. This is scientific advice open for comment, rather than an amendment imposing a legal prohibition.

Allergic Reactions And Missing Data

The SCCS says published case reports and reports of serious undesirable effects provide evidence of serious allergic skin reactions, often requiring medical treatment. Its conclusions therefore do not establish a safe threshold below 1%.

The committee could not calculate a maximum safe concentration. It lacked quantitative data needed to establish a toxicological point of departure, including for skin sensitisation, as well as adequate consumer-exposure information.

No mutagenicity or genotoxicity data were supplied through the call for data or identified in the published literature. The committee says that potential cannot be excluded without experimental evidence; it does not report a demonstrated genotoxic effect.

Assessment And Comment Period

The Commission’s call for safety data ran from May 2025 to May 2026, according to the advice’s background section. The resulting assessment answers separate questions about safety at up to 1%, a possible safe maximum and further scientific concerns.

The Commission’s consultation page sets 11 January 2027 as the deadline for comments on the preliminary advice.