Is Pyrocatechol safe in cosmetics?
Pyrocatechol has a safety rating of "POOR" in our database. EU status: prohibited. US status: prohibited.
POOR
Cosmetic Ingredient
Pyrocatechol
INCI: PYROCATECHOL (CATECHOL) [^1_3]
Pyrocatechol (CAS 120-80-9 [^1_3]) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Hair Dyeing agent (historical); Antioxidant [^1_3]. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: prohibited. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 120-80-9 [^1_3] →
Function
Hair Dyeing agent (historical); Antioxidant [^1_3]
Editorial assessment
POOR
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
prohibited
US US Status
prohibited
US Notes
Not specifically banned by FDA; however, no current VCRP-reported uses; CIR has not issued a separate final safety assessment
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Pyrocatechol.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Pyrocatechol — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pyrocatechol allowed in the EU?
Pyrocatechol EU regulatory status: prohibited. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Pyrocatechol do in cosmetics?
Pyrocatechol functions as: Hair Dyeing agent (historical); Antioxidant [^1_3]. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 120-80-9 [^1_3].
Compliance Tools
Check Pyrocatechol compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
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MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
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