6. Regulatory constraints

In all formulations, a certain number of products are used, some of which, despite their properties, may be excluded from use by standards that vary from country to country. It is therefore important for anyone involved in formulation to be familiar with the regulations. One of the best-known examples concerns parabens, which were used in cosmetics to prevent bacterial proliferation (preservatives) and were banned by the European Community. As a result, formulations had to be changed in favor of equivalent compounds, either of chemical origin or, in the case of "green cosmetics", natural products. This brings us into the realm of standards and regulations.