Mink Oil

Abstract

The Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety reviewed updated information that has become available since their original assessment from 1998, along with updated information regarding product types, and frequency and concentrations of use, and reaffirmed their original conclusion that Mink Oil is safe as a cosmetic ingredient in the practices of use and concentration as described in this report.

The Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety first published a review on the safety of Mink Oil in 1998, with an insufficient data conclusion. ¹ Subsequently, the Expert Panel’s data needs were met, and in 2005, a final amended report was published with the conclusion that Mink Oil is safe as a cosmetic ingredient in the practices of use and concentration described in that safety assessment. ²

Because it has been at least 15 years since the final amended report was published, in accordance with Cosmetic Ingredient Review Procedures, the Expert Panel considered whether the safety assessment should be reopened. At the September 2022 meeting, the Expert Panel considered updated (2022) information regarding product types and ingredient use frequencies as reported in the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Voluntary Cosmetic Registration Program (VCRP) database ³ and maximum use concentrations provided in response to the survey conducted by the Personal Care Products Council. ⁴ Since the final amended report was issued, there is one new use category reported in 2022 (hair-coloring). The frequency of use has decreased, from 100 reported uses in 2001 to 32 uses in 2022, and the maximum concentration of use for Mink Oil has decreased from 3% in 2001 to .1% in 2022. The cumulative frequency and concentration of use data are presented in Table 1.

Table 1.

Frequency and Concentration of Use (2022; 2001) According to Duration and Exposure.

	# of Uses		Max Conc of Use (%)
	2022 3	2001 2	2022 4	2001 2
Totals*	32	100	0.1	0.001-3
Duration of use
Leave-on	22	63	0.1	0.001-2
Rinse-off	5	36	NR	3
Diluted for (bath) use	5	1	NR	0.1
Exposure type
Eye area	NR	2	NR	0.1-1
Incidental ingestion	11	12	NR	0.001
Incidental inhalation-spray	5 a ;3 c	3;23 a ;12 c	NR	1;0.2-2 a ;0.1-0.5 c
Incidental inhalation-powder	1;3 c	1;12 c	NR	0.1;1 b ;0.1-0.5 c
Dermal contact	19	48	0.1	0.1-2
Deodorant (underarm)	NR	NR	NR	NR
Hair – non-coloring	1	39	NR	3
Hair-coloring	1	NR	NR	NR
Nail	NR	NR	NR	0.001-0.1
Mucous membrane	16	13	NR	NR
Baby products	NR	NR	NR	NR

*Because each ingredient may be used in cosmetics with multiple exposure types, the sum of all exposure types may not equal the sum of total uses.

NR- no reported use.

^aIt is possible these products are sprays, but it is not specified whether the reported uses are sprays.

^bIt is possible these products are powders, but it is not specified whether the reported uses are powders.

^cNot specified whether a spray or a powder, but it is possible the use can be as a spray or a powder; therefore, the information is captured in both categories.

An extensive search of the world’s literature was performed for studies dated 2000 forward, and no new data were found. The Expert Panel reviewed 2022 frequency and concentration of use data, in addition to any new, available, relevant safety data, and reaffirmed the 2005 conclusion regarding the safety of Mink Oil in cosmetics.