European Union cosmetic ingredient regulations
EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009 annexes and the CosIng discovery database.
- Regulator
- European Commission
- Source language
- English and EU languages
- Coverage version
- Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 consolidated to 1 May 2026
What this list is
The EU list is not one list. Regulation 1223/2009 splits substances across five annexes that answer different questions, and reading the wrong one is the most common way to get an EU answer wrong.
- Annex II prohibits 1,739 substances outright.
- Annex III permits 373 substances only within stated limits, product types and warnings.
- Annexes IV, V and VI are positive lists: 154 colourants, 54 preservatives, 33 UV filters.
- For those three categories, absence from the annex means not permitted — the opposite of Annex II's logic.
- CosIng is a discovery database, not the law; the annexes as published are.
Most markets on this site publish one list. The EU publishes five, and they do not work the same way. Annex II names substances that may not be used at all. Annex III names substances that may be used, but only within a concentration limit, for stated product types, and often with a warning that must appear on the label. Annexes IV, V and VI are positive lists for colourants, preservatives and UV filters.
That last distinction reverses the logic and catches people out. For a substance in general, absence from Annex II is not permission — nothing has been decided about it. For a preservative, absence from Annex V is a decision: it may not be used as a preservative in a cosmetic product. The same silence means opposite things depending on which annex you are reading.
CosIng is worth naming separately, because it is what most searches land on. It is the Commission's database for finding ingredients and their annex references, and it is genuinely useful for that. It is not the legal text. When CosIng and the published annex disagree — usually because an amendment has come into force and the database has not caught up — the annex governs.
An Annex III entry is also more than a number. The limit, the product-type condition and the warning text travel together, and quoting the concentration without the condition it applies to produces an answer that is right about the figure and wrong about the product.
Checked against
Official ingredient records
2353 matching recordsCALCIUM HYDROXIDE
(b) pH < 12.7 (c) pH < 11
Source reference: Annex III, entry 15c · 17/10/2010
1-NAPHTHOL
After mixing under oxidative conditions the maximum concentration applied to hair must not exceed 1 % calculated as free base
Source reference: Annex III, entry 16 · 14/05/2013
1-Naphthol
After mixing under oxidative conditions the maximum concentration applied to hair must not exceed 2,0%
Source reference: Annex III, entry 16 · 09/09/2013
TRANS-2-HEXENAL
(a) Oral products (b) Other products
Source reference: Annex III, entry 166 · 23/05/2013
PERILLALDEHYDE
(a) Oral products (b) Other products
Source reference: Annex III, entry 169 · 23/05/2013
SODIUM NITRITE
Not to be used with secondary and/or tertiary amines or other substances forming nitrosamines
Source reference: Annex III, entry 17 · 17/10/2010
3-METHYLNON-2-ENENITRILE
Source reference: Annex III, entry 172 · 23/05/2013
METHYL OCTINE CARBONATE
(a) Oral products (b) Others products
Source reference: Annex III, entry 173 · 23/05/2013
AMYLVINYLCARBINYL ACETATE
(a) Oral products (b) Other products
Source reference: Annex III, entry 174 · 23/05/2013
3-Propylidenephthalide
(a) The presence of the substance shall be indicated in the list of ingredients referred to in Article 19(1), point (g), when its concentration exceeds: — 0,001 % in leave-on products — 0,01 % in rinse-off products.
Source reference: Annex III, entry 175 · 11/09/2023
2-Hexylidene cyclopentanone
(a) Oral products (b) Other products
Source reference: Annex III, entry 177 · 23/05/2013
METHYLHEPTADIENONE
(a) Oral products (b) Other products
Source reference: Annex III, entry 178 · 23/05/2013
P-METHYLHYDROCINNAMIC ALDEHYDE
Source reference: Annex III, entry 179 · 23/05/2013
NITROMETHANE
Rust inhibitor
Source reference: Annex III, entry 18 · 17/10/2010
Liquidambar orientalis oil and extract (styrax)
Source reference: Annex III, entry 180 · 23/05/2013
Liquidambar styraciflua oil and extract (styrax)
Source reference: Annex III, entry 181 · 23/05/2013
1-(5,6,7,8-Tetrahydro-3,5,5,6,8,8,-hexamethyl-2-naphthyl)ethan-1-one (AHTN)
All cosmetic products with the exception of oral products
Source reference: Annex III, entry 182 · 23/05/2013
OPOPANAX CHIRONIUM RESIN EXTRACT
Source reference: Annex III, entry 184 · 24/05/2013
TOLUENE
Nail products
Source reference: Annex III, entry 185 · 24/05/2013
DIETHYLENE GLYCOL
As traces in ingredients
Source reference: Annex III, entry 186 · 24/05/2013
BUTOXYDIGLYCOL
No use in aerosol dispensers (sprays)
Source reference: Annex III, entry 187 · 24/05/2013
BUTOXYETHANOL
(a) (b) No use in aerosol dispensers (sprays)
Source reference: Annex III, entry 188 · 24/05/2013
CI 19140 / ACID YELLOW 23
Hair dye substance in non-oxidative hair dye products
Source reference: Annex III, entry 189 · 13/08/2020
ACID BLUE 9
Hair dye substance in non-oxidative hair dye products
Source reference: Annex III, entry 190 · 12/08/2020
CURRY RED
Hair dye substance in non-oxidative hair dye products
Source reference: Annex III, entry 191 · 14/08/2020
ACID RED 18
Hair dye substance in non-oxidative hair dye products
Source reference: Annex III, entry 192 · 14/08/2020
ACID RED 52
(a) After mixing under oxidative conditions the maximum concentration applied to hair must not exceed 1.5%.
Source reference: Annex III, entry 193 · 05/06/2014
ACID BLUE 62
- Do not use with nitrosating systems - Maximum nitrosamine content: 50 microgram/kg - Keep in nitrite-free containers
Source reference: Annex III, entry 195 · 14/08/2020
HC BLUE NO. 11
- Do not use with nitrosating systems - Maximum nitrosamine content: 50 microgram/kg - Keep in nitrite-free containers
Source reference: Annex III, entry 196 · 29/05/2013
Lippia citriodora absolute
The presence of the substance shall be indicated in the list of ingredients referred to in Article 19(1), point (g), when its concentration exceeds: — 0,001 % in leave-on products — 0,01 % in rinse-off products. (For use as Verbena essential oils (Lippia citr…
Source reference: Annex III, entry 196 · 03/10/2023
ETHYL LAUROYL ARGINATE HCL
For purposes other than inhibiting the development of micro- organisms in the product. This purpose has to be apparent from the presentation of the product
Source reference: Annex III, entry 197 · 10/06/2015
N,N-bis(2-Hydroxyethyl)- p-Phenylenediamine Sulfate
After mixing under oxidative conditionsthe maximum concentration applied to hair must not exceed 2,5% (calculated as sulphate) - Do not use with nitrosating agents - Maximum nitrosamine content: 50 microgram/Kg
Source reference: Annex III, entry 198 · 09/09/2013
4- CHLORORESORCINOL
After mixing under oxidative conditions the maximum concentration applied to hair must not exceed 2.5%
Source reference: Annex III, entry 199 · 09/09/2013
HC VIOLET NO. 2
- Do not use with nitrosating agents - Maximum nitrosamine content: 50 microgram/kg - Keep in nitrite-free containers
Source reference: Annex III, entry 200 · 30/05/2013
TETRAAMINOPYRIMIDINE SULFATE
(a) (c) After mixing under oxidative conditions the maximum concentration applied to hair or eyelashes must not exceed 3,4 % (calculated as sulfate) (c) Professional use
Source reference: Annex III, entry 200 · 27/07/2020
2-CHLORO-6-ETHYLAMINO-4-NITROPHENOL
a) Afther mixing oxidative conditions the maximum concentration applied to hair must not exceed 1,5% (a) and (b) - Do not use with nitrosating systems - Maximum nitrosamine content: 50 microgram/kg - Keep in nitrite-free containers
Source reference: Annex III, entry 201 · 05/06/2014
1,3-BIS-(2,4-DIAMINOPHENOXY)PROPANE
(a) After mixing under oxidative conditions the maximum concentration applied to hair must not exceed 1.2% calculated as free base (1.8% as tetrahydrochloride salt).
Source reference: Annex III, entry 202 · 25/07/2013
6-METHOXY-2-METHYLAMINO-3-AMINOPYRIDINE HCL
For (a) and (c): After mixing under oxidative conditions the maximum use concentration applied to hair or eyeslashes must not exceed 0.68% calculated as free base (1.0% as dihydrochloride). For (a) (b) and (c): - Do not use with nitrosating agents - Maximum n…
Source reference: Annex III, entry 203 · 10/02/2014
DIHYDROXYINDOLINE
Hair dye substance in non-oxidative hair dye products
Source reference: Annex III, entry 204 · 27/05/2013
4-HYDROXYPROPYLAMINO-3-NITROPHENOL
(a) After mixing under oxidative conditions the maximum use concentration applied to hair must not exceed 2.6% calculated as free base. For (a) and (b): - Do not use with nitrosating systems - Maximum nitrosamine content: 50 microgram/kg - Keep in nitrite-fre…
Source reference: Annex III, entry 205 · 05/06/2014
HYDROXYETHYL-P-PHENYLENE-DIAMINE SULFATE
(a) After mixing under oxidative conditions the maximum concentration applied to hair must not exceed 2,0 % (calculated as sulphate) (b) After mixing under oxidative conditions the maximum concentration applied to eyelashes must not exceed 1,75 % (calcul…
Source reference: Annex III, entry 206 · 27/07/2020
DIHYDROXY-INDOLE
(a) After mixing under oxidative conditions the maximum concentration applied to hair must not exceed 0,5%
Source reference: Annex III, entry 207 · 09/09/2013
HC ORANGE NO. 2
- Do not use with nitrosating systems - Maximum nitrosamine content: 50 microgram/kg - Keep in nitritefree containes
Source reference: Annex III, entry 208 · 24/07/2013
5-Amino-4-Chloro-o-Cresol HCl
After mixing under oxidative conditions the maximum concentration to hair must not exceed 1,5% (calculated as hydrochloride).
Source reference: Annex III, entry 208 · 09/09/2013
Market coverage contract
Complete annex dataset- Included scope
- Annexes II–VI: prohibited and restricted substances, colourants, preservatives and UV filters.
- If no match is found
- No annex match only means that these five annexes did not return a match; CosIng identity data and other EU obligations still need review.
Complete verification checklist
- Confirm the exact INCI/CAS/EC identity.
- Review every matching Annex II–VI row and its conditions.
- Check SCCS opinions, CMR/nanomaterial rules and later amendments.
- Verify product classification, claims, labelling and responsible-person duties.
How European Union differs from other markets
Comparing this market's imported rules against every other market's for the same substance. A market with no imported rule for a substance is left out of that comparison rather than treated as permitting it.
A formula cleared elsewhere can fail here.
and 22 more — see the full comparison
Permitted here under conditions and prohibited, or more tightly held, elsewhere — so a formula built for this market may not travel.
and 103 more — see the full comparison
Official sources and legal role
PubChem PUG-View annotations
Attributed physical-property, hazard, environmental, use and literature annotations for uniquely matched PubChem compounds
Legal meaning: Scientific context aggregated by PubChem; individual values retain their named depositor or publication source
EMBL-EBI ChEBI 2.0
Curated definitions, chemical classes, roles, names, relationships and cross-references
Legal meaning: Curated scientific ontology; not a cosmetics permission or prohibition list
FDA Global Substance Registration System
UNII identifiers, preferred names, substance types, codes and public substance relationships
Legal meaning: Identity registry only; UNII availability does not imply FDA review or approval
Cosmetic Ingredient Review safety assessments
Expert Panel conclusions, assessed ingredient groups, use conditions, dates and report documents
Legal meaning: Independent expert review considered by FDA; not a government approval or binding market rule
EU Safety Gate cosmetic product alerts
Published cosmetic product alerts, notifying country, risk, product identifiers and corrective measures
Legal meaning: Official market-surveillance alerts; not proof that a named ingredient caused an incident
Available language: English and EU languages
What this market page can answer
Source and authority
Identify the official material and the regulator responsible for it: European Commission.
Language and scope
See whether usable English or bilingual material exists and what the mapped source actually covers. Current source language: English and EU languages.
Evidence status
Browse ingredient-level records imported from official sources. Each row states whether it passed deterministic source checks or human editorial review.
How to verify an ingredient for this market
- Search the ingredient by INCI name, CAS number or EC number and record the exact identity.
- Open each official source above and check the current version, product scope, concentration limits and required warnings.
- Confirm effective dates and whether an English text is official, reviewed or only contextual.
- Treat a missing local match as unknown, never as permission or a safety conclusion.