Regulatory Status
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Safety Data
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Expert Verdict
Effective brightening active with strong clinical credentials: 1% hexylresorcinol achieves pigmentation reduction comparable to 2% hydroquinone at both 4-week and 12-week assessments while being unrestricted in both EU and US. Negligible cytotoxicity in human melanocyte studies contrasts with 4-butylresorcinol's concentration-dependent cytotoxicity. 2025 anhydrous vehicle study confirmed that delivery system critically determines efficacy: hexylresorcinol with silymarin and vitamins C/E in proprietary anhydrous silicone polymer vehicle produced effective brightening across all Fitzpatrick phototypes. Underutilised relative to its evidence base and a strong candidate for brightening formulations seeking an EU- and US-unrestricted tyrosinase inhibitor with negligible cytotoxicity profile.
Regulatory Flags
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hexylresorcinol safe in cosmetics?
Effective brightening active with strong clinical credentials: 1% hexylresorcinol achieves pigmentation reduction comparable to 2% hydroquinone at both 4-week and 12-week assessments while being unrestricted in both EU and US. Negligible cytotoxicity in human melanocyte studies contrasts with 4-butylresorcinol's concentration-dependent cytotoxicity. 2025 anhydrous vehicle study confirmed that delivery system critically determines efficacy: hexylresorcinol with silymarin and vitamins C/E in proprietary anhydrous silicone polymer vehicle produced effective brightening across all Fitzpatrick phototypes. Underutilised relative to its evidence base and a strong candidate for brightening formulations seeking an EU- and US-unrestricted tyrosinase inhibitor with negligible cytotoxicity profile. The EU classifies Hexylresorcinol as "permitted". Safety rating: EXCELLENT.
Is Hexylresorcinol allowed in the EU?
Hexylresorcinol EU regulatory status: permitted. Maximum allowed concentration: 20%. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Hexylresorcinol do in cosmetics?
Hexylresorcinol functions as: Tyrosinase inhibitor; inhibits melanogenesis in human melanocytes with negligible cytotoxicity; comparable to 2% hydroquinone at 1% concentration; effective for skin brightening at 0.5–1%. It is classified as a Active Ingredient in our database. CAS number: 136-77-6.
What is the Margin of Safety for Hexylresorcinol?
adequate The Margin of Safety (MoS) is calculated using SCCS methodology. A MoS above 100 is generally considered safe. Use the MoS Calculator tool to calculate MoS for your specific formulation and product category.
Compliance Tools
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Related Ingredients
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