On December 29, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a report finding that current data are insufficient to determine the safety of most PFAS in cosmetic products. The report fulfills the agency’s obligation under the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 (MoCRA) to assess the safety of PFAS use in cosmetics by December 2025.

Based on product listing data submitted to the agency pursuant to MoCRA, FDA determined that 51 PFAS are intentionally added to 1,744 cosmetic formulations sold in the U.S. due to their unique properties, such as water repellency, smooth texture, and film formation. The agency evaluated the 25 most commonly used PFAS, finding that five posed low safety concerns in cosmetic products under intended use conditions and one, perfluorohexylethyl triethoxysilane, had a potential safety concern when used in body lotion at the highest use level. There was insufficient toxicological data to assess the safety of the remaining PFAS reviewed.

The report also notes that “[t]here are currently no federal regulations that specifically address the use of PFAS in cosmetic products in the U.S.,” and that “PFAS that are intentionally added to cosmetic products as an ingredient are not currently prohibited and do not, based on presence alone, render the cosmetic product adulterated or misbranded.”

FDA’s full report, “Report on the Use of PFAS in Cosmetic Products and Associated Risks,” is available here, and FDA’s press release on the report can be found here.