Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist

The Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist (formally the List of Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetic Ingredients) is Health Canada's primary tool for restricting hazardous substances in cosmetics. It lists substances that are either prohibited outright or restricted to specific conditions of use in cosmetic products sold in Canada.

While the Hotlist is technically an administrative tool rather than a regulation per se, it is enforced under Section 16 of the Food and Drugs Act, which prohibits the sale of cosmetics that may cause injury to the health of the user. If a product contains a substance on the Hotlist in violation of its conditions, Health Canada considers the product to be in contravention of the Act.

The Hotlist is organized into two tables: Table I lists prohibited ingredients (substances that must not be present in any cosmetic sold in Canada), and Table II lists restricted ingredients with specific conditions (maximum concentrations, product type limitations, required warnings). The restrictions are informed by international safety assessments from the SCCS, CIR, and other authoritative bodies.

Health Canada updates the Hotlist regularly, typically aligning with EU and international safety assessments but making independent decisions based on Canadian risk assessment. Cosmetic manufacturers and importers are responsible for ensuring their products comply with the current version of the Hotlist before selling in Canada.