Poor Preservative SCCS/CIR Reviewed

Methylchloroisothiazolinone

INCI: METHYLCHLOROISOTHIAZOLINONE

CAS Number
26172-55-4
Function
Preservative
Safety Rating
POOR

Regulatory Status

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ EU Status restricted
EU Max Conc. 0.0015% in rinse-off cosmetics only as MCI/MI 3:1 blend; prohibited in leave-on cosmetics
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ US Status permitted
US Notes No federal ban; still permitted in leave-on products. Industry self-restriction recommended. EPA-registered biocide in industrial applications.

For full compliance data across 55 jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
not established
Dermal Absorption
high
Sensitization
high

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Safety Opinions

Official safety assessments from the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) and Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR).

cir
Verdict: unknown
NOAEL: 0.34 mg/m3 (oral)
cir
Verdict: unknown
NOAEL: 0.34 mg/m3 (inhalation)
cir
Verdict: unknown
NOAEL: 1.15 mg/m3 (inhalation)

Expert Verdict

HIGH CONCERN. MCI is used only as the 3:1 MCI/MI blend and is among the top-ranked contact allergens in EU clinical surveillance. Banned in leave-on cosmetics in the EU; permitted in rinse-off at 0.0015% as the blend. Avoid in all leave-on applications globally. Isothiazolinone contact allergy prevalence has declined in markets where EU restrictions are in force.

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Concern Level: High

Regulatory Flags

preservative eu-banned-leave-on contact-allergen high-sensitization potent-sensitizer rinse-off-only pandemic-allergen avoid-leave-on eu_children_restricted epa_safer_alternative ifra_fragrance

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Methylchloroisothiazolinone safe in cosmetics?

HIGH CONCERN. MCI is used only as the 3:1 MCI/MI blend and is among the top-ranked contact allergens in EU clinical surveillance. Banned in leave-on cosmetics in the EU; permitted in rinse-off at 0.0015% as the blend. Avoid in all leave-on applications globally. Isothiazolinone contact allergy prevalence has declined in markets where EU restrictions are in force. The EU classifies Methylchloroisothiazolinone as "restricted". Safety rating: POOR. This ingredient has been reviewed by cir.

Is Methylchloroisothiazolinone allowed in the EU?

Methylchloroisothiazolinone EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: 0.0015% in rinse-off cosmetics only as MCI/MI 3:1 blend; prohibited in leave-on cosmetics. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Methylchloroisothiazolinone do in cosmetics?

Methylchloroisothiazolinone functions as: Preservative. It is classified as a Preservative in our database. CAS number: 26172-55-4.

What is the Margin of Safety for Methylchloroisothiazolinone?

not established 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.

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