Cosmetic ingredients: EU status and maximum concentrations

The EU status, limits, conditions and legal references for common cosmetic ingredients, taken from Certo’s regulatory database and linked to the legal text.

• 4-Methylbenzylidene camphor

  Prohibitedfor every function

• Alpha-arbutin

  Restrictedtwo product types only

• Benzalkonium chloride

  Restrictedpreservative or rinse-off hair

• Benzoic acid

  Allowedcapped by product type

• Butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane (avobenzone)

  AllowedUV filter, max 5 %

• Butylphenyl methylpropional (lilial)

  Prohibitedtraces only if unavoidable

• Chlorphenesin

  Allowedany use, max 0.3 %

• Climbazole

  Restrictedpreservative or anti-dandruff

• Dehydroacetic acid

  Allowedmax 0.6 % as acid

• Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (octinoxate)

  AllowedUV filter, max 10 %

• Ethylhexyl salicylate (octisalate)

  AllowedUV filter, max 5 %

• Ethylparaben

  Allowedsingle and shared caps

• Homosalate

  AllowedUV filter, face products only (not propellant sprays), max 7.34 %

• Kojic acid

  Restrictedface and hand only

• Methylisothiazolinone (MIT)

  Allowedrinse-off only, max 0.0015 %

• Methylparaben

  Allowedsingle and shared caps

• Octocrylene

  AllowedUV filter, max 10 % (9 % in propellant sprays)

• Phenoxyethanol

  Allowedany use, max 1 %

• Piroctone olamine

  Restrictedcaps; nitrosamine conditions

• Potassium sorbate

  Allowedmax 0.6 % as acid

• Propylparaben

  Allowedshared caps, nappy-area ban

• Resorcinol

  Restrictedlisted hair uses only

• Retinyl palmitate

  Restrictedcapped, vitamin A warning

• Sodium benzoate

  Allowedcapped by product type

• Sorbic acid

  Allowedmax 0.6 % as acid

• Triclocarban

  Restrictedpreservative or rinse-off

• Triclosan

  Allowedlisted products, max 0.3 %

• Triethanolamine

  Restrictedleave-on cap; nitrosamine conditions

• Zinc pyrithione

  Prohibitedtraces only if unavoidable