Safety Assessment of Vanilla as Used in Cosmetics

The Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety (Panel) reviewed the safety of 9 vanilla-derived ingredients as used in cosmetics. These ingredients are reported to function mostly as skin conditioning agents in cosmetic products. Because final product formulations may contain multiple botanicals, each containing the same constituents of concern, formulators are advised to be aware of these constituents, and to avoid reaching levels that may be hazardous to consumers. Industry should continue to use good manufacturing practices to limit impurities. The Panel reviewed data relating to the safety of these ingredients and concluded that 7 ingredients are safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration when formulated to be non-sensitizing. The Panel further concluded that the available data are insufficient to make a determination of safety under the intended conditions of use in cosmetic formulations for Vanilla Planifolia Flower Extract and Vanilla Planifolia Leaf Cell Extract.