PFAS and Undesirable Substances: How to Ensure Safer Cosmetics?

Safety and transparency are at the heart of modern cosmetic manufacturing.

Modern cosmetics are at a turning point. With rapidly evolving regulations and increasing consumer expectations for safe, sustainable, and transparent products, industry players are now required to rethink their entire value chain. France has recently passed a law banning the use of PFAS in cosmetics starting in January 2026, becoming a pioneer in Europe. At the European level, a broader restriction of these substances is also under review as part of the REACH regulation.

At the same time, clean beauty labels are strengthening their traceability and quality control criteria, demanding full transparency not only on the origin and composition of products but also on all manufacturing processes including the quality of the water used. Water quality management in manufacturing, long underestimated, is now considered a key factor for ensuring product safety and compliance, as emphasized by the OECD.

While final formulations remain central to this transformation, the quality of water used during cosmetic production has become a critical issue. Controlling invisible contaminants, particularly per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), is now essential to meet the standards of tomorrow. PFAS, which include more than 4000 chemical compounds, are used for their water and oil repellent properties in many industries including cosmetics.

Industrial Water: A New Frontier for Quality Control

In a cosmetics factory, water is omnipresent. According to several recent studies, contamination of this water by micropollutants such as PFAS or heavy metals can directly impact the final product’s quality and increase the risk of noncompliance during quality inspections. Today, the quality of inputs, especially water, is included in clean beauty audits alongside raw material traceability and process transparency. This shift requires brands to have precise tools capable of monitoring the presence of invisible contaminants throughout their production chain.

PANDa: Klearia’s Response for Safer Cosmetic Manufacturing

To support this transformation of the sector, Klearia has developed PANDa, a next-generation detection technology specialized in water monitoring. Developed using advances in microfluidics, PANDa can identify micropollutants such as PFAS and heavy metals even at very low concentrations.

Designed for easy integration into production lines, PANDa delivers fast analysis with results available in less than two hours and does not require any specific analytical skills. This tool enables manufacturers to continuously monitor water quality, anticipate noncompliance risks, and strengthen their credibility with consumers and certification bodies.