Is LIGNIN safe to use in EU cosmetics?

LIGNIN is listed in the EU CosIng ingredient inventory with no direct annex restriction records linked at this time. Always verify against the current official CosIng database before formulating.

What function does LIGNIN serve in cosmetics?

According to the EU CosIng inventory, LIGNIN carries the following function designation(s): ANTIOXIDANT, COLORANT, OPACIFYING, UV ABSORBER, UV FILTER.

How do I check if my formula contains LIGNIN?

Use the INCI Checker to screen a full ingredient list across selected markets, or use the substance market comparison to review this identity across all supported market datasets.

InventoryRef cosing-live-1007122023-09-26

LIGNIN

Lignin is a biopolymer derived from the cell walls of plants.

LIGNIN is listed in the EU CosIng inventory, but no direct annex records are linked on this page yet.

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Regulatory evidence by market

No rule for this ingredient has been imported for any of the 13 markets tracked here.

That describes this inventory, not the law. No imported rule is not evidence that an ingredient is permitted: a rule may exist under another name or identifier, or in a dataset not yet imported here.

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Chemical identity and properties

PubChem 2D chemical structure for CAS 9005-53-2

CAS 9005-53-2PubChem CID 175586

Lignin

IUPAC name: disodium;4-acetamido-5-hydroxy-6-phenyldiazenylnaphthalene-1,7-disulfonate

Molecular formula: C18H13N3Na2O8S2
Molecular weight: 509.4 g/mol
Exact mass: 508.99394529 Da
Topological polar surface area: 205.0 Å²
Hydrogen-bond donors: 2
Hydrogen-bond acceptors: 10
Covalent units: 3
Defined stereocentres: 0

Also known as

LigninsRefChem:153408CHEBI:6457232-682-2EINECS 302-591-3Disodium 4-(acetylamino)-5-hydroxy-6-(phenylazo)naphthalene-1,7-disulphonateDisodium 4-acetamido-5-hydroxy-6-(phenyldiazenyl)-1,7-naphthalenedisulfonate

Open full PubChem record PubChem annotations 3D structure image

External database identifiers

EPA DTXSID:DTXSID501355942
PubMed:32035863
PubMed:27420082

Retrieved from NIH PubChem on 2026-08-31 by checksum-valid CAS matching. Chemical properties do not replace the regulatory decision on this page.

Official European Commission record

CosIng substance ID: 100712
Published in the Official Journal: Yes
Recorded by the Commission: 2023-09-26

Open this entry in the official CosIng database

Fields as published by the European Commission. The link opens the entry itself, not a search for it.

Inventory details for LIGNIN

INCI name

LIGNIN

Description

Lignin is a biopolymer derived from the cell walls of plants.

Record provenance

Inventory reference: cosing-live-100712
Imported identity: LIGNIN
Source update: 2023-09-26

European Commission CosIng source notes

Annex records for LIGNIN

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Key data

CAS

8068-05-1/ 9005-53-2

-/ 232-682-2

Restriction

—

Function

ANTIOXIDANT: Inhibiting reactions promoted by oxygen, thus avoiding oxidation and rancidity.
COLORANT: Exclusively or mainly intended to colour the cosmetic product, the body as a whole or certain parts thereof, by absorption or reflection of visible light. All authorised colorants are substances in the positive list of Annex IV to the Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009.
OPACIFYING: Reducing transparency or translucency of cosmetics.
UV ABSORBER: Protecting the cosmetic product from the effects of UV-light.
UV FILTER: Exclusively or mainly intended to protect the skin and/or hair against certain UV radiation by absorbing, reflecting or scattering UV radiation. All authorised UV filters are substances in the positive list of Annex VI to the Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009.

Official EU ingredient-name evidence

The ingredient name exactly matches the official 2025 EU glossary of common ingredient names.

#15315 · LIGNIN

Ingredients with overlapping formulation functions

HOMOSALATEFRAGRANCE, UV ABSORBER, UV FILTER

ISOAMYL P-METHOXYCINNAMATELIGHT STABILIZER, UV ABSORBER, UV FILTER

ISOAMYL PALMITATE/STEARATEHAIR CONDITIONING, SKIN CONDITIONING, SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, UV FILTER

LACTOBACILLUS/CAMELLIA SINENSIS CATECHINS/GELIDIUM CRINALE/LAMINARIA JAPONICA/M…ANTI-SEBUM, ANTIOXIDANT, SKIN CONDITIONING, UV FILTER

LUPEYL ISONICOTINATEANTIOXIDANT, SKIN PROTECTING, UV FILTER

MENAQUINONE-7ANTI-SEBUM, ASTRINGENT, BLEACHING, SKIN PROTECTING, UV FILTER

METHOXY PEG-3 DEHYDROCHOLESTERYL SUCCINATEANTIOXIDANT, HAIR CONDITIONING, UV FILTER

METHOXY PEG-7 DEHYDROCHOLESTERYL SUCCINATEANTIOXIDANT, HAIR CONDITIONING, UV FILTER

Additional official and scientific sources

11 external databases to check this identity in

Each link searches that source for this identity. What each source is, and its legal weight

ECHA CHEM / Information on chemicals PubChem PUG REST EU Safety Gate cosmetic product alerts ECHA CHEM US EPA CompTox Cosmetic Ingredient Review safety assessments FDA Global Substance Registration System ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards Japan NITE-CHRIP NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards OECD eChemPortal

How LIGNIN appears in the CosIng inventory

The CosIng inventory lists LIGNIN as a cosmetic ingredient and this page links it to 0 annex records. The inventory entry captures names and identifiers, while the annex records show where the substance is prohibited, restricted or positively listed in EU cosmetics law.

LIGNIN is also tagged with 5 cosmetic functions in the official data. Function labels describe intended use, but they do not replace regulatory review of linked annex records before formulation or labelling work.

Frequently asked questions

LIGNIN is listed in the EU CosIng ingredient inventory with no direct annex restriction records linked at this time. Absence of an annex link does not guarantee unrestricted use — always verify against the current official CosIng database before formulating.

According to the EU CosIng inventory, LIGNIN carries the following function designation(s):

CAS 8068-05-1/ 9005-53-2 may appear across multiple EU annex records. Viewing the CAS lookup page shows all Annex II–VI entries sharing this identifier, which is useful for identifying cross-annex regulatory status of the same chemical substance.

Use the INCI Checker to screen a full ingredient list across selected markets, or compare this substance across all supported market datasets.

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Source note for LIGNIN

This page reproduces the CosIng inventory entry for LIGNIN from public European Commission cosmetic ingredient materials and shows linked identifiers even when no direct annex match is currently attached.

Use this inventory page to research LIGNIN and compare linked records, but verify restrictions and legal status against the current official source text and law before making regulatory decisions.

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Tools & next steps

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