CosIng Checker
CosIng Checker
EU cosmetic ingredients, restrictions and safety
Login
Annex V Entry 12 11/08/2020

4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID / METHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM ETHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM PARABEN /SODIUM METHYLPARABEN /SODIUM ETHYLPARABEN /ETHYLPARABEN /SODIUM PARABEN / POTASSIUM METHYLPARABEN / CALCIUM PARABEN

4-Hydroxybenzoic acid and its Methyl- and Ethyl-esters, and their salts

4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID / METHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM ETHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM PARABEN /SODIUM METHYLPARABEN /SODIUM ETHYLPARABEN /ETHYLPARABEN /SODIUM PARABEN / POTASSIUM METHYLPARABEN / CALCIUM PARABEN appears in Annex V as a positive-list preservative entry for EU cosmetics. Maximum concentration in this record: 0,4% (as acid) for single ester 0,8% (as acid) for mixtures of esters.

Search similar Back to annex Compare
Permitted preservative— Annex V, EU Regulation 1223/2009
Max conc.: 0,4% (as acid) for single ester 0,8% (as acid) for mix…
Entry: 12

Record details

Maximum concentration

0,4% (as acid) for single ester 0,8% (as acid) for mixtures of esters

INCI glossary name

4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID / METHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM ETHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM PARABEN /SODIUM METHYLPARABEN /SODIUM ETHYLPARABEN /ETHYLPARABEN /SODIUM PARABEN / POTASSIUM METHYLPARABEN / CALCIUM PARABEN

Chemical name

4-Hydroxybenzoic acid and its Methyl- and Ethyl-esters, and their salts

Chemical / IUPAC name

4-Hydroxybenzoic acid and its Methyl- and Ethyl-esters, and their salts (4-Hydroxybenzoic acid, methylparaben, potassium ethylparaben, potassium paraben, sodium methylparaben, sodium ethylparaben, ethylparaben, sodium paraben, potassium methyl­paraben, calcium paraben)

Regulatory information

Regulation

(EC) 2014/1004

SCCS opinions

Identified ingredients

Key data

CAS
99-96-7 /99-76-3 /36457-19-9 /16782-08-4 /5026-62-0 /35285-68-8 /120-47-8 /114-63-6 /26112-0-2 /69959-44-0
EC
202-804-9 /202-785-7 /253-048-1 /240-830-2 /225-714-1 /252-487-6 /204-399-4 /204-051-1 /247-464-2 /274-235-4
Annex
V
Entry number
12

Inventory links for 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID / METHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM ETHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM PARABEN /SODIUM METHYLPARABEN /SODIUM ETHYLPARABEN /ETHYLPARABEN /SODIUM PARABEN / POTASSIUM METHYLPARABEN / CALCIUM PARABEN

Inventory Restriction reference
Ref 32338

CALCIUM PARABEN

CAS: 69959-44-0
EC: 274-235-4
Inventory Restriction reference
Ref 33899

ETHYLPARABEN

CAS: 120-47-8
EC: 204-399-4
Inventory Restriction reference
Ref 35342

METHYLPARABEN

CAS: 99-76-3
EC: 202-785-7
Inventory Restriction reference
Ref 37312

PROPYLPARABEN

CAS: 94-13-3
EC: 202-307-7
Inventory Restriction reference
Ref 38016

SODIUM PARABEN

CAS: 114-63-6 / 85080-04-2
EC: 204-051-1 / -

Direct matches are limited for this record, so nearby entries from Annex V are shown as well.

Annex V 11
Nearby record in the same annex

CHLOROBUTANOL

CAS: 57-15-8
EC: 200-317-6
Annex V 16
Nearby record in the same annex

THIMEROSAL

CAS: 54-64-8
EC: 200-210-4
Annex V 19
Nearby record in the same annex

Hexetidine

CAS: 141-94-6
EC: 205-513-5

What Annex V means for 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID / METHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM ETHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM PARABEN /SODIUM METHYLPARABEN /SODIUM ETHYLPARABEN /ETHYLPARABEN /SODIUM PARABEN / POTASSIUM METHYLPARABEN / CALCIUM PARABEN

4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID / METHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM ETHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM PARABEN /SODIUM METHYLPARABEN /SODIUM ETHYLPARABEN /ETHYLPARABEN /SODIUM PARABEN / POTASSIUM METHYLPARABEN / CALCIUM PARABEN is an approved preservative listed in Annex V of EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009. Only substances on this positive list may be used as cosmetic preservatives in the EU.

Each preservative entry specifies maximum permitted concentrations and applicable product scope. Concentrations must not exceed the listed maximum. Some preservatives require warning statements on the product label.

This record is linked to 15 CosIng inventory ingredients for name and identifier cross-reference. The page also surfaces 12 related annex records with overlapping identifiers, annex logic or naming patterns.

Compliance checklist

  • Use concentration must not exceed: 0,4% (as acid) for single ester 0,8% (as acid) for mixtures of esters
  • Verify the preservative is effective at the permitted concentration for your matrix.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID / METHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM ETHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM PARABEN /SODIUM METHYLPARABEN /SODIUM ETHYLPARABEN /ETHYLPARABEN /SODIUM PARABEN / POTASSIUM METHYLPARABEN / CALCIUM PARABEN is listed in Annex V of EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009 as a permitted preservative. It may be used in cosmetics up to the maximum concentration specified above, within the permitted product scope.

CAS 99-96-7 /99-76-3 /36457-19-9 /16782-08-4 /5026-62-0 /35285-68-8 /120-47-8 /114-63-6 /26112-0-2 /69959-44-0 is the unique numerical identifier assigned to 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID / METHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM ETHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM PARABEN /SODIUM METHYLPARABEN /SODIUM ETHYLPARABEN /ETHYLPARABEN /SODIUM PARABEN / POTASSIUM METHYLPARABEN / CALCIUM PARABEN by the Chemical Abstracts Service. In cosmetic compliance work, the CAS number is used to cross-reference the substance across regulatory databases, raw material specifications and safety assessment reports. Multiple EU annex entries may share the same CAS number if the same substance appears under different conditions or in different annexes.

The maximum concentration of 0,4% (as acid) for single ester 0,8% (as acid) for mixtures of esters applies to the concentration of the substance in the ready-to-use cosmetic product. When the substance is supplied as part of a blend or mixture, the calculation must account for the contribution of all sources in the formulation. The combined concentration must not exceed the stated limit.

Use the INCI Checker tool on this site to paste your full ingredient list (INCI) and scan it against all Annex II–VI entries. The tool highlights any ingredients that match restricted, prohibited or allergen-flagged records. This is useful for rapid compliance screening of finished product formulas or raw material declarations.
Open INCI Checker

Source note for Annex V record 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID / METHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM ETHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM PARABEN /SODIUM METHYLPARABEN /SODIUM ETHYLPARABEN /ETHYLPARABEN /SODIUM PARABEN / POTASSIUM METHYLPARABEN / CALCIUM PARABEN

This page summarizes one Annex V record for 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID / METHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM ETHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM PARABEN /SODIUM METHYLPARABEN /SODIUM ETHYLPARABEN /ETHYLPARABEN /SODIUM PARABEN / POTASSIUM METHYLPARABEN / CALCIUM PARABEN from public European Commission cosmetic materials and adds linked inventory or identifier matches when available.

Use this record page to review Annex V conditions for 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID / METHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM ETHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM PARABEN /SODIUM METHYLPARABEN /SODIUM ETHYLPARABEN /ETHYLPARABEN /SODIUM PARABEN / POTASSIUM METHYLPARABEN / CALCIUM PARABEN, but confirm any final regulatory decision against the current official annex wording and source files.

View sourcesView updates

Tools & next steps

Check your formula

Paste a full INCI list to detect 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID / METHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM ETHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM PARABEN /SODIUM METHYLPARABEN /SODIUM ETHYLPARABEN /ETHYLPARABEN /SODIUM PARABEN / POTASSIUM METHYLPARABEN / CALCIUM PARABEN and other flagged EU annex records in one pass.

INCI Checker

Compare entries

Compare 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID / METHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM ETHYLPARABEN /POTASSIUM PARABEN /SODIUM METHYLPARABEN /SODIUM ETHYLPARABEN /ETHYLPARABEN /SODIUM PARABEN / POTASSIUM METHYLPARABEN / CALCIUM PARABEN side by side with another annex record to review differences in restrictions, concentrations and annex placement.

Compare

Browse the annex

See all records in Annex V and compare regulatory conditions across substances in this annex.

Open Annex V