EU Panel Issues Preliminary Safety Opinion on Vitamin K1 Epoxide
The Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has published a preliminary opinion on phytonadione epoxide, a cosmetic skin conditioning ingredient.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Beauty
The Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has published a preliminary opinion on the safety of phytonadione epoxide, an oxidised form of vitamin K1 used in cosmetic products. The assessment follows a mandate the SCCS accepted from the European Commission in June 2026.
Why it matters
Phytonadione epoxide is used in eye contour creams, anti-ageing serums, and products for sensitive or redness-prone skin, so the outcome of the safety review could affect how it is formulated in those products. The preliminary nature of the opinion means the ingredient's regulatory status is not yet settled.
The ingredient is identified by CAS No. 25486-55-9 and EC No. 247-022-9, and the European Commission ran a data call from May 2025 to May 2026 before the SCCS accepted its mandate in June 2026. The stub does not report the preliminary opinion's conclusions, and the final opinion is still pending.
The players
Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS)
The SCCS is the European Union advisory body that provides scientific opinions on the safety of cosmetic ingredients and consumer products.
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive branch of the European Union, which set the mandate for the SCCS safety assessment and ran the data call.
The details
The SCCS assessed phytonadione epoxide, a compound produced by epoxidation of the naphthoquinone ring of phytonadione (vitamin K1). In cosmetics it functions mainly as a skin conditioning agent and is reported to help reduce the appearance of dark circles and redness.
Timeline
May 2025 to May 2026: European Commission call for data on phytonadione epoxide.
June 2026: SCCS accepted the Commission's mandate to assess the ingredient's safety.
November 5, 2026: SCCS published its preliminary opinion.
Health Landscape
This preliminary opinion follows the SCCS's established pipeline for reviewing cosmetic ingredients, in which a Commission mandate and data call precede a preliminary and then final scientific opinion. It extends that process to phytonadione epoxide, a vitamin K1 derivative used in skin care products.
Shoppers who buy eye contour creams, anti-ageing serums, or products for redness-prone skin may see this ingredient on labels, and its final regulatory status will determine whether formulas change. The preliminary opinion does not yet change what is on store shelves.
The takeaway
Vitamin K1 derivatives are increasingly used in skin care for their reported effects on dark circles and redness, so checking for updates from regulators can help consumers understand which ingredients are under review. A preliminary opinion is an early step, and the final SCCS assessment will set the ingredient's status.
Further reading
For more on how ingredients like this are used in skin care, see the Beauty section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by CosmeticOBS.
