Algae and algal extracts are among the most widely used plant- and marine-derived ingredients in cosmetics and personal care products, serving as active ingredients, humectants, thickeners, colourants and film-formers. The EU cosmetics regulatory framework is entirely separate from food and feed law — managed by different competent authorities, with its own safety assessment and notification system — and applies in full to any product making contact with the external surfaces of the human body with the principal purpose of cleaning, perfuming, changing appearance, protecting, or correcting body odours.

Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on cosmetic products, OJ L 342, 22.12.2009, p. 59. EUR-Lex

This is the single, directly applicable EU Regulation governing cosmetics. Unlike food law, which relies on a mix of framework regulations and sectoral directives, cosmetics are governed by one consolidated Regulation applicable identically across all member states. It covers the full lifecycle of a cosmetic product from pre-market safety assessment through to labelling, post-market surveillance and notification.

There is a good list of relevant regulation and guidelines on the Single EU market site.

Relevance to algae: Any cosmetic product containing an algal ingredient — seaweed extract, spirulina powder, algal oil, carrageenan, agar, algae-derived colourant — is subject to this Regulation. The Regulation does not establish a positive authorisation list for cosmetic ingredients generally (unlike food additives), but:

• It establishes several annexes, each of which is a binding positive or negative list for specific ingredient functions:
  • Annex II prohibited substances
  • Annex III restricted substances with conditions of use
  • Annex IV authorised colourants
  • Annex V authorised preservatives
  • Annex VI authorised UV filters
• Ingredients not on the restricted or prohibited lists, and not functioning as colourants, preservatives, or UV filters, may be used freely provided they are safe — i.e. a product safety report demonstrates their safety under the conditions of use in the finished product.

Before placing a cosmetic product on the EU market, the responsible person (typically the manufacturer or the EU importer for non-EU-manufactured products) must:

• Commission a product safety report (PSR) — a document assessing the safety of the finished product, including its individual ingredients, prepared by a qualified safety assessor. For algae ingredients, the PSR must address specific hazards such as potential for allergic reaction, microbiological contamination, presence of toxic compounds (phycotoxins, heavy metals), and risks associated with the intended use and application area of the product.
• Compile a product information file (PIF) — containing the PSR, a description of the manufacturing method, proof of GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice), and evidence supporting any claims made.
• Notify the product in the Cosmetic Products Notification Portal (CPNP) — the EU-wide online notification system. A product must be notified before it is placed on the market.

No prior approval by a regulatory authority is required; compliance is the responsible person's responsibility.

Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) for cosmetics is defined by the standard ISO 22716:2007 (and its European adoption EN ISO 22716:2007), which is the reference standard cited in the Cosmetics Regulation. GMP compliance is an obligation for manufacturers, not merely a voluntary quality standard.

The Commission maintains the COSING (COSmetic Ingredient Notified, Glossary) database, which provides a searchable list of cosmetic ingredients together with their:

• Standard INCI (International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient) name — the name used in the ingredient list on product labels.
• Any regulatory status (prohibited, restricted, or functioning in an Annex IV/V/VI category).
• References to scientific assessments by the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS).

COSING is accessible at: COSING — European Commission

For algae producers, COSING provides:

• The INCI name to use for their ingredient on product labels and in business-to-business supply documentation.
• An indication of whether any safety concerns have been identified for their specific ingredient by the SCCS.
• Access to SCCS opinions where a formal safety evaluation has been conducted.

Many common algal ingredients (kelp powder, spirulina powder, carrageenan, agar, sodium alginate, various seaweed extracts) have established INCI names in COSING. Algal ingredients without an established INCI name may still be used, but the producer or the cosmetic manufacturer bears the burden of establishing safety in the absence of prior SCCS evaluation.

CEN/TC 454 (Technical Committee for Algae and Algae Products) has developed standards relevant to algae used in cosmetics, including:

• CEN/TR 17611:2021 — Technical report on algae for use in personal care products: current state of knowledge, sustainability and quality considerations.

These are not legally binding standards but represent sector consensus on characterisation, testing and quality requirements for algae ingredients in personal care products. Compliance with CEN/TC 454 standards supports the quality and safety arguments required in the product safety report and product information file. See General on EU Legislation for the role of CEN standards in EU product regulation.

While algae themselves are not listed as prohibited or restricted substances, several compounds that can be present in algal biomass or algal extracts are subject to restrictions:

• Heavy metals (lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium) — Annex II and III to the Cosmetics Regulation list prohibited and restricted heavy metal levels in cosmetic products. Algal ingredients with significant bioaccumulation of these metals must be tested to verify compliance.
• Certain colourants — if an algae-derived pigment (e.g. phycocyanin used as a blue colourant in cosmetics) is used for its colouring function, it must be on the Annex IV positive list of authorised cosmetic colourants. The authorisation status of individual algae-derived colourants for cosmetic use must be checked in Annex IV.

Commission Regulation (EU) No 655/2013 of 10 July 2013 laying down common criteria for the justification of claims used in relation to cosmetic products, OJ L 190, 11.7.2013, p. 31. EURlex

Relevance to algae: Claims made for cosmetic products — whether about the product's efficacy (“firms and lifts”, “reduces the appearance of fine lines”), its composition (“contains X% marine algae extract”), or its character (“natural”, “sustainable”, “organic”) — must satisfy six common criteria: legality, truthfulness, evidential support, honesty, fairness, and informed decision-making. Cosmetic “organic” or “natural” claims, which are commercially significant for algae-derived cosmetics, are not governed by the same Regulation (EU) 2018/848 that applies to food and feed; they are instead subject to private certification standards (notably COSMOS-standard for organic and natural cosmetics) and the general truthfulness requirement of the claims Regulation.

Voluntary certification and quality schemes relevant to cosmetic products containing algae — including COSMOS-standard (organic and natural cosmetics), NATRUE, Ecocert and other schemes — are covered in the sub-page Certification Schemes and Standards.

• Establish a responsible person in the EU before placing any cosmetic product containing algae on the EU market; if you are a non-EU manufacturer, you will need an EU-based responsible person.
• Obtain a product safety report from a qualified cosmetics safety assessor; this must specifically address algae-specific hazards including phycotoxin risk, heavy metal content, and microbiological specification.
• Register in CPNP before market launch; registration is free but mandatory.
• Use INCI names from COSING on the ingredient list — this is legally required, and using a non-standard name for an algal ingredient may result in non-compliance.
• Check Annex IV for any colouring function of your algae ingredient — phycocyanin and other algal pigments used for cosmetic colouring must have a specific Annex IV entry.
• Document your GMP compliance under EN ISO 22716:2007 at your production facility.
• For organic/natural cosmetics claims, seek certification under a recognised private standard (COSMOS, NATRUE) rather than relying on the EU organic food regulation, which does not apply to cosmetics.

See also: Certification Schemes and Standards | Food | EU Quality Schemes and Geographical Indications | Green Claims and Greenwashing

Last reviewed: June 2026.