The cosmetic prohibitions and restrictions introduced by Assembly Bill No 60 (AB 60) –  officially cited as the   Musk Reduction Act and enacted on October 7, 2025 – will become operative in California commencing January 1, 2027.

The law amends Section 108980 of the Health and Safety Code, introducing prohibitions and restrictions on the sale, manufacture, delivery, or holding of products containing specific intentionally added ingredients, with a particular focus on synthetic musks, aldehydes, boron substances, and certain categories of intimate hygiene products.

Economic operators placing cosmetic products on the Californian market should promptly assess product compliance.

Restrictions and thresholds for Synthetic Musks

The measure prohibits the intentional use of musk ambrette, musk tibetene, musk moskene, and musk xylene.

For musk ketone (CAS no. 81-14-1), the law establishes specific maximum concentration thresholds beyond which marketing is prohibited:

• 1.4% in fine fragrances products
• 0.56% in eau de toilette
• 0% in oral products
• 0.042% in all other cosmetic products.

Additional prohibited substances and focus on Boric Acid

As of 2027, the ban will extend to a broad list of additional intentionally added ingredients, including lily aldehyde, acetaldehyde, cyclotetrasiloxane, styrene, and vinyl acetate.

The legislative text also introduces a specific provision for cosmetics in the form of vaginal suppositories containing boric acid:

• From 2027: mandatory detailed warning statement on the packaging
• From 2035: total prohibition of marketing for this specific category, unless the products are regulated as drugs by the FDA.

Compliance criteria for unavoidable traces

A cosmetic product is not considered in violation of the law if it contains technically unavoidable trace quantities of the prohibited ingredients.

This condition applies exclusively when the residues stem from impurities of natural or synthetic ingredients, the manufacturing process, storage conditions, or migration from packaging materials

What economic operators need to do

With January 1, 2027, operative date fast approaching, economic operators must urgently verify their formulations, comply with the new limits applicable to synthetic musks, eliminate prohibited substances, and ensure that any residual traces are technically unavoidable.

>>> Complife supports economic operators with testing services and strategic-regulatory consultancy to ensure full compliance of products intended for the Californian market.

SOURCE:
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB60