Cosmetic Preservatives
Preservatives protect cosmetic products from microbial contamination during storage and use. Under EU Regulation 1223/2009 Annex V, preservatives operate on a positive list: only substances explicitly listed in Annex V may be used as preservatives in cosmetic products, subject to the concentration limits and conditions specified per entry. Commonly used classes include phenoxyethanol, parabens (methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl-), sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, benzyl alcohol, isothiazolinones (MIT, CMIT), and formaldehyde releasers (DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea). Regulatory scrutiny has intensified on parabens (SCCS re-reviews of longer-chain esters), isothiazolinones (skin sensitization thresholds), and formaldehyde releasers (carcinogenicity concerns). This hub lists preservative ingredients with SCCS opinion history where available, sensitization data, and multi-jurisdictional regulatory status.
No ingredients currently indexed in this category. Data is added continuously as new SCCS opinions and regulatory updates are processed.