Pigment composition of permanent make-up products before and after REACH restrictions

Radoslaw Spiewak1, Anna Postawa2, Julia Szopa2, Jadwiga Kalicinska3

1. Institute of Dermatology, Krakow, Poland
2. Cosmetology Graduate, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
3. Jagiellonian University Medical College, Department of Experimental Dermatology and Cosmetology, Krakow, Poland

Source: Spiewak R, Postawa A, Szopa J, Kalicinska J. Pigment composition of permanent make-up products before and after REACH restrictions. Contact Dermatitis 2026; 94 (Supplement S1: Congress of the European Society of Contact Dermatitis [ESCD], 24-27 June 2026, Copenhagen, Denmark): 53.

Purpose: In January 2022, REACH restrictions on hazardous chemicals in tattoo inks and permanent make-up products (PMUP) came into force in the EU. This created an opportunity to study how regulatory measures alter consumer exposure.

Methods: We compared pigments declared in 80 PMUP available in 2017 and in 100 PMUP available in 2024.

Results: 58 pigments were mentioned in at least one of the 180 PMUP. Titanium dioxide (CI 77891) was most prevalent, but a decrease between 2017 (78.7% products) and 2024 (53.0%, p < 0.001), followed by iron oxides CI 77491 (56.2%, 48.0%, ns), CI 77499 (70.0%, 27.0%, p < 0.001), and CI 77492 (57.5%, 23.0%, p < 0.001). A reverse trend was observed for carbon black (CI 77266, 3.7%, 35.0%, p < 0.001) and chromium oxide greens (CI 77288, 6.2%, 20.0%, p = 0.008). Seven pigments were mentioned on ingredients lists in 2017, but not in 2024: CI 12490, CI 15985/15985:1, CI 16035, CI 73360:1, CI 74160, CI 77007, and CI 77742, of which 6 are now prohibited. On the other hand, 38 “new” pigments were mentioned only on PMUP in 2024, including 16 declared in at least 3 products: CI 12474, CI 12760, CI 200310, CI 21160, CI 21108, CI 47005, CI 561300, CI 561170, CI 74260, CI 12475, CI 75300, CI 21095, CI 12516, CI 11741, Pigment Violet 55 and Pigment Yellow 214 (no CI numbers). Two colour index numbers (CI 11787 and CI 58300) mentioned in one product of 2024 were unknown to any database.

Conclusions: The declared pigment content in permanent make-up products has changed significantly between 2017 and 2024. Titanium and iron-based pigments dominate in both “old” and “new” products, but are on significant decline, contrary to carbon and chromium-based pigments. Furthermore, a handful of “old” organic pigments have been replaced by dozens of “new” pigments, many of which have limited safety data.

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Dermatologist-allergist in Krakow (Cracow), Poland

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Related articles:

  1. Postawa A, Spiewak R: Analysis of the composition of pigments used in Polish permanent makeup salons in terms of the risk of allergic reactions. Estetol Med Kosmetol 2017; 7: 001.en. doi: 10.14320/EMK.2017.001.en
  2. Wolowiec W, Spiewak R. Metals with known sensitizing potential as ingredients in oral care products. Contact Dermatitis. 2026;94 (Supplement S1: Congress of the European Society of Contact Dermatitis [ESCD], 24-27 June 2026, Copenhagen, Denmark): 17.
  3. Spiewak R.Patch testing for contact allergy and allergic contact dermatitis. Open Allergy J. 2008; 1: 42-51.
  4. Spiewak R. Atopy and contact hypersensitivity: a reassessment of the relationship using objective measures. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2005, 95 (1): 61-65.
  5. Spiewak R, Pietowska J, Curzytek K. Nickel: a unique allergen - from molecular structure to European legislation. Expert Rev Clin Immunol 2007, 3 (6): 851-859.

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Document created: 29 June 2026, last updated: 7 August 2026.