Key Takeaways:
France's ban on the production, import, export, and sale of cosmetics, wax, and textile products containing PFAS came into force on January 1, 2026, under French Law No. 2025-188, part of Article 1 Chapter IV of France's Environmental Code. The ban was adopted February 2025, with Decree 2025-1376 published in December 2025 clarifying concentration thresholds.
The move makes France the first EU country to ban PFAS in cosmetics, though the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is currently undergoing a consultation process on this topic, and many European companies have been working to replace PFAS in cosmetic formulations for some time.
So, what are PFAS, and how widely are they used in the cosmetics category?
PFAS in Cosmetics
PFAS are a large class of thousands of synthetic chemicals used throughout society, all of which contain carbon-fluorine bonds, one of the strongest chemical bonds in organic chemistry; PFAS thus resist degradation when used or when entering the environment. Today, an estimated 10,000 PFAS are used in applications across a range of sectors, industries, and consumer goods, including mobile phones, wind turbines, medical devices, raincoats, and cleaning products. This class of chemicals is renowned for its nonstick, water-resistant, and stain-resistant properties.
In cosmetics, PFAS can be found in skincare, toiletries, haircare, perfumes, fragrances, and decorative cosmetics, though these chemicals only represent a small fraction of the 30,000 or so ingredients used in beauty and can largely be replaced with alternatives.
France's cosmetics trade association, the French Federation of Beauty (FEBEA), welcomed the ban, reaffirming its “strong and long-standing commitment to the progressive elimination of per- and polyfluoroalkyl ingredients (PFAS) in cosmetic products.”
Speaking to BeautyMatter, FEBEA's Scientific Advisor Erwan Poivet said the French beauty industry, and the broader European sector, had started substitution well ahead of this law coming into force, and so the overall impact of the ban should be limited.
Challenges ahead, Poivet said, will include developing analytical methods capable of reliably detecting PFAS at extremely low concentrations, as well as standardizing these methods to ensure consistent compliance across a wide diversity of cosmetic formulations.
“Several analytical and titration methods for detecting PFAS exist in scientific literature. However, the challenge is to select, harmonize, and standardize these methods for routine industry use,” he said. “This effort will require close cooperation between academic researchers, analytical experts, public authorities, and industry.”
Dr. Theresa Callaghan, a cosmetic claims and scientific affairs expert and the owner of Callaghan Consulting International, said other technical and implementation challenges may also arise for both French companies and global companies working with France.
The ban, for example, will create additional costs for businesses working to reformulate and comply with the new law, especially those using cosmetic claims like “long-wear,” “film-forming,” “waterproof,” or “smudge-proof,” features that PFAS had long been used for.
Companies may also face “technical performance gaps,” she said, when looking to replace these chemicals, given that many provide distinctive texture, durability, water resistance, and spreadability in formulas. Supply chain issues may also arise if testing identifies ingredients with trace amounts of PFAS residues, particularly before clear analytical thresholds and fully defined implementing decrees are established. It will be critical, therefore, that regulators and industry collaborate to develop suitable detection methods and enforcement measures, according to the expert.
Callaghan added, though, that the transition away from PFAS in cosmetics is expected to be “incremental rather than disruptive,” with most brands and manufacturers able to rely on existing R&D and alternative chemistries for many applications.
Looking ahead, investment, cross-industry cooperation, and clear regulatory guidance will determine successful implementation, and “clear, honest, consumer-focused messaging” will be essential as companies work to remove PFAS.
Wider EU or Global Ban?
Globally, bans on PFAS in cosmetics are already in place in some markets.
In the US, California, Colorado, Maryland, Minnesota, and Washington all implemented bans last year, and other states are set to follow this year and next. While no federal measures currently exist to restrict PFAS in cosmetics in the US, the country's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently published a Report on the Use of PFAS in Cosmetic Products and Associated Risks as part of the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 (MoCRA), underscoring the need to closely monitor emerging data amid “significant data gaps.”
In Europe, the European Union is reviewing a potential EU-wide ban after calls from five EU national authorities 2023. The Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden put forward a proposal for an EU-wide ban on PFAS via their Annex XV Restriction Report, published by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), following three years of investigations. The authorities said that PFAS and their degradation products may persist in the environment “longer than any other man-made chemical,” and that their “very high persistence" is cause for concern.
Callaghan said PFAS are recognized for their durability in the environment and have also been linked to various health concerns, including immune system disruption, hormonal effects, and higher cancer risks.
France's move to ban these substances, therefore, is “forward-looking,” both from a health and environmental perspective, Callaghan said, and marks a “major regulatory and cultural change, emphasizing long-term health and environmental benefits.”
The move will also likely accelerate, even potentially inform, EU policymaking, she said, now that restrictions have been shown to be "achievable and potentially manageable, both economically and technically.”
John Chave, Director-General of European trade association Cosmetics Europe, said industry supports the removal of intentionally added PFAS, and an EU-wide ban would prove more fluid for business. “We are concerned with the potential impact of individual national measures restricting the free movement of goods and consequently negatively affecting the entire European Single Market and the competitiveness of European cosmetic companies,” Chave said. “Adopting such legislation at the European level would help prevent fragmentation of the Single Market.”
In 2023, Cosmetics Europe published a recommendation for cosmetic manufacturers to phase out use of PFAS, prompting many European manufacturers and brands to kick-start reformulation efforts. Chave said the association continues to closely follow regulatory developments.