Is Pyrogallol safe in cosmetics?
Pyrogallol has a safety rating of "POOR" in our database. EU status: prohibited. US status: permitted.
POOR
Cosmetic Ingredient
Pyrogallol
INCI: PYROGALLOL [^1_9]
Pyrogallol (CAS 87-66-1 [^1_8][^1_3]) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Hair Dyeing agent (historical); Antioxidant / Reducing agent [^1_8]. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: prohibited. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 87-66-1 [^1_8][^1_3] →
Function
Hair Dyeing agent (historical); Antioxidant / Reducing agent [^1_8]
Editorial assessment
POOR
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
prohibited
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
VCRP reports only 1 use (2023) in "other hair coloring." CIR originally concluded "safe" (1991) but re-review opened 2024 due to NTP carcinogenicity data [^1_8]
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Pyrogallol.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Pyrogallol — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
potential-allergen
eu_banned_cosmetics
eu_cosing_listed
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pyrogallol allowed in the EU?
Pyrogallol EU regulatory status: prohibited. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Pyrogallol do in cosmetics?
Pyrogallol functions as: Hair Dyeing agent (historical); Antioxidant / Reducing agent [^1_8]. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 87-66-1 [^1_8][^1_3].
Compliance Tools
Check Pyrogallol compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
Paste a full ingredient list for instant analysis
82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
Check compliance across multiple jurisdictions
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions
Related Ingredients
Acid Blue 9
EXCELLENT
Same category
Colorant, Hair Dyeing
Acid Blue 9 Aluminum Lake
EXCELLENT
Same category
Colorant
Anthocyanins
EXCELLENT
Same category
Colorant
Beta Vulgaris Extract
EXCELLENT
Same category
Skin Conditioning, Colorant (betalain...
Beta Vulgaris Root Extract
EXCELLENT
Same category
Skin Conditioning, Colorant (betanin/...
Beta Vulgaris Root Powder
EXCELLENT
Same category
Skin conditioning, natural colorant, ...
1,3-Bis-(Isocyanatomethyl) Cyclohexane
POOR
Similar safety
Monomer / cross-linking agent used in...
1,4-Butanediol
POOR
Similar safety
Solvent, humectant, viscosity control...
1,6-Hexamethylene Diisocyanate (HDI)
POOR
Similar safety
Monomer and crosslinker in polymer sy...
1,6-Hexanediamine
POOR
Similar safety
Industrial chemical (nylon monomer); ...
1-Nitropropane
POOR
Similar safety
None in cosmetics - industrial solven...
2,2'-Thiobis(4-Chlorophenol)
POOR
Similar safety
Antimicrobial / antifungal agent
Beta-Caryophyllene
GOOD
Chemical family
Fragrance; skin-conditioning; anti-in...
Ethyl Anthranilate
GOOD
Chemical family
Fragrance ingredient
Glucaric Acid
MODERATE
Chemical family
Chelating agent (related to glucarola...
Is Pyrogallol in Your Products?
Scan any product label with Piro — our free ingredient scanner. Point your camera at the ingredients list and get instant safety scores for every ingredient.
Try Piro Free →Analyze Your Full Ingredient List
Paste any INCI list into the Decoder for instant safety analysis, or calculate the Margin of Safety for Pyrogallol in your formulation.