1. Introduction

Cosmetic products containing ingredients of animal origin or, more generally, of zoological origin, are called zooceuticals [ 1 2 ]. This term is rarely used, and biocosmetics, cosmeceuticals, or natural cosmetics are spoken of more frequently because they contain ingredients of natural origin [ 3 ]. However, zooceuticals concern all cosmetic products for human use. They are not synonymous with &#;cosmetics for animals&#;, which are completely different products and are only for veterinary use or for the skin-care or hair-care of pets.

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The chemicals used as cosmetic ingredients, as is known, can be grouped into three main groups of ingredients. The first group consists of the basic ingredients, which form the major quantity of the cosmetic product. The second group is formed by the functional substances that give the specificity of action to the cosmetic product, and finally, in the third group, there are additives, i.e., all substances added in low quantities to improve the characteristics of the product in terms of quality, safety, texture, appearance, and pleasantness. Animal-derived ingredients can be used both as basic ingredients and as functional substances or additives, depending on the characteristics of the chemical used. Animal-derived ingredients are frequently polyfunctional, such as snail slime, and can contain a variety of substances with various cosmetic actions and uses, even if the majority of these chemicals are used as functional substances with moisturizing, soothing, anti-aging, or, more broadly, conditioning effects for the skin, hair, and/or scalp.

Animal derivatives, used as ingredients in cosmetics, often do not require the sacrifice of the animal&#;consider, for example, snail slime&#;or they are replaced by substances derived from plants, by chemical synthesis, or by biotechnological applications, such as hyaluronic acid, produced in the laboratory from bacterial cultures. In other cases, however, they represent by-products of the animal industry, such as crests, horns, hooves, and skin, and therefore derive from animal sacrifice [ 4 ].

Today, animal-derived ingredients are less frequently used for various reasons [ 5 ]. They include the infectious risk of some derivatives, but also ethical issues (animal cruelty) and concerns regarding the protection of biodiversity and endangered species, such as whales and turtles [ 6 7 ].

In particular, the ethical issues regarding ingredients of animal origin for cosmetics refer both to respect for animals (animals suffer similarly to humans) and to the defense of biodiversity in order to preserve animal species from extinction. This includes defending the entire ecosystem. Laws have been enacted to protect endangered species of animals, and hunting for wildlife is regulated in many countries. In addition, consumer awareness has grown in this regard, as has society in general and the attention of manufacturing companies themselves. Certifications, such as vegan and halal, have proliferated to ensure that the ingredients in cosmetic products were obtained without causing animal cruelty or harm to animals [ 8 9 ]. Ingredients obtained without causing suffering or harm to animals, such as snail slime and the majority of bee derivatives, do not raise any ethical concerns. The situation is different as regards ingredients of animal origin deriving from breeding and the meat and fish industries: in this case, they represent by-products, i.e., waste from the production of products intended for food consumption [ 10 ]. The use of these by-products in the cosmetic industry is allowed if they comply with purity, safety, and hygiene requirements. However, as mentioned above, where possible, they have been replaced by similar vegetable substances or by synthetic derivatives. Moreover, today, many animal ingredients used in past centuries have fallen into disuse because they are not effective or are dangerous to health [ 11 ].

As is true for all other substances used as cosmetic ingredients, both vegetable and synthetic, ingredients of animal origin, including their derivatives, must comply with the quality, purity, and safety requirements for use as ingredients in the cosmetic industry. Furthermore, they must not be toxic, contain impurities, or pose a health risk to the consumer, including the risk of transmission of infectious agents. Toxicity due to dermal exposure, including irritation, sensitization, and phototoxicity, has been assessed in toxicological studies, and any adverse effects are reported in cosmetovigilance [ 12 ].

To facilitate the classification of cosmetic ingredients of animal origin, it is possible to group them into categories, as proposed by Proserpio and Passerini [ 13 ] and reported in Figure 1 , i.e., ingredients derived from insects (group A), derived from land animals (group B), and derived from marine animals (group C).

Natural Cosmetics Act &#; Defining &#;Natural&#; vs &#;Naturally-Derived&#;

A landmark bill introduced by Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney at the 116th U.S. Congress aims to amend the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act such that cosmetics with packaging or labeling using the term &#;natural&#; will be considered as misbranded if they do not meet certain standards.

Under the Act, cosmetics labeled, sold or represented as &#;natural&#; must have at least 70 percent natural substances other than water and salt and have no fragrance ingredient other than a natural substance or naturally-derived ingredient, among other standards.

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Natural vs Naturally-Derived Ingredients

The bill defines &#;natural&#; as any chemical substance that is naturally occurring and which is (a) unprocessed, (b) processed only by manual, mechanical, naturally derived solvent or gravitational means, by dissolution in water or steam, by flotation, or by heating solely to remove water; or (c) extracted from air by any means.

A &#;naturally-derived ingredient&#; can be:

• any substance where the starting material is of mineral, plant, microbe, or animal origin but has been chemically processed;

• any substance where the starting material is of mineral, plant, microbe, or animal origin but has been chemically processed and combined with other ingredients, excluding petroleum and fossil fuel-derived ingredients; or

• an ingredient that is derived from a plant feedstock and bio-manufactured using processes like fermentation, saponification, condensation, or esterification in order to improve performance or make the ingredient biodegradable or sustainable.

Any manufacturer or distributor of cosmetics labeled as &#;natural&#; will be required to maintain records verifying such claim including carbon-14 testing results, which provide data on the biomass-sourced versus fossil-derived composition of the product.

The Natural Cosmetics Act also aims to give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to issue an order to cease distribution of, or to recall, misbranded cosmetic products.

As of December 3, , the bill was co-sponsored by seven other representatives from California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and New York.

Source: H.R. &#; Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 179

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This entry was posted on Friday, December 27th, and is filed under Natural Product Testing .

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