Is Selenium Sulfide safe in cosmetics?
Selenium Sulfide has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: prohibited. US status: restricted.
Selenium Sulfide
Also known as: Selenium sulfide (SeS2), Exsel, Seleen, Selsun, S2 Se (+13 more)
INCI: SELENIUM SULFIDE
Selenium Sulfide (CAS 7488-56-4) is a cosmetic active ingredient functioning as Anti-dandruff active; antifungal. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: prohibited. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 7488-56-4 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Selenium Sulfide is prohibited in EU cosmetics but has active industrial GHS classifications (H300, H301, H331, H330, H373, H400, H410).
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
Anti-dandruff active; antifungal
Safety Rating
MODERATE
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
prohibited
US US Status
restricted
US Notes
FDA OTC Monograph M032: 1% rinse-off for dandruff control; 2.5% is Rx-only drug
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Selenium Sulfide.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Sensitization Profile
Contact sensitization data for Selenium Sulfide based on clinical patch test studies and IFRA standards.
Sensitization Rate
low
Allergen Class
preservative
EU Allergen Listed
no
Patch Test Positive Rate
0.2%
Cross-reactivity Group
none
Reaction Type
contact-dermatitis
Source: IVDK; SCCS
Endocrine Disruptor Evidence (Expanded)
Cross-referenced EDC classifications, mechanism data, and dose-response evidence from EDLists, SIN List, and cosmetic-specific detail sources.
Cosmetic-Specific Mechanism
Category: other
Receptor targets: TR (indirect; affects thyroid uptake)
LOEC: 1 µg/mL
EU status: restricted (max 1%; OTC scalp shampoo only)
indirect TR modulator (inhibits selenoprotein)
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
100 - 1,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Expanded Jurisdictional Detail
Additional regulatory detail beyond the 7-jurisdiction summary: Saudi SFDA, Korea MFDS, ASEAN ACD, Japan/Korea, Brazil/India, and cross-jurisdictional restriction entries.
SA Saudi SFDA (III - Restricted)
Product type: Antidandruff shampoos. Max: 0.01.
BRIN Brazil/India Cosmetics
India: Restricted · max 0.01
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (5)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN | restricted | 1 | Anti-dandruff shampoos |
| IN | restricted | 1.0 | anti-dandruff shampoos only |
| GCC | restricted | 1.0 | Rinse-off shampoo only |
| BR | restricted | 1 | Anti-dandruff products only |
| ASEAN | restricted | 1% | Anti-dandruff shampoos only |
Typical Use Concentrations
Reported concentration ranges per product category from SCCS/CIR/industry sources.
| Product Category | Typical Range | Max Reported | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antidandruff Shampoo | 1–2.5 | 2.5 | FDA OTC |
Additional Ingredient Properties
6 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
acne
{"cas_number": "7488-56-4", "anti_acne_mechanism": "antibacterial/anti_inflammatory", "comedogenicity_rating_0_to_5": "2", "acne_type_efficacy": "fungal", "p_acnes_mic_ug_per_ml": "Variable", "sebum_reduction_pct_clinical": "10-15", "prescription_required_usa": "No", "otc_drug_monograph_category": "Yes", "max_otc_concentration_pct": "1-2.5", "japan_quasi_drug_anti_acne": "No", "korea_functional_co…
allergen_detail
{"eu_allergen_listed": "no", "allergen_class": "preservative", "patch_test_frequency_pct": "0.2", "sensitization_rate": "low", "common_reaction_type": "contact-dermatitis", "ifra_restricted": "no", "source": "IVDK; SCCS"}
exfoliant
{"cas_number": "7488-56-4", "ingredient_class": "keratolytic", "chemical_subclass": "sulfur_compound", "molecular_weight_Da": "143.09", "penetration_depth": "stratum_corneum", "mechanism_of_action": "desquamation_enhancer", "comedolytic": "no", "anti_acne_mechanism": "anti-seborrheic, antifungal", "photosensitizing": "no", "concentration_OTC_max_pct": "1%", "concentration_professional_max_pct": "2…
hair_care
{"hair_function": "anti-dandruff", "hair_type_suitability": "all", "curl_pattern_suitability": "all", "porosity_suitability": "all", "protein_sensitivity": "neutral", "moisture_protein_balance": "no", "cg_method_approved": "not-a-silicone", "silicone_type": "not-a-sulfate", "sulfate_type": "no", "drying_alcohol": "no", "fatty_alcohol": "no", "heat_protectant": "no", "color_safe": "neutral", "kerat…
pregnancy_detail
{"pregnancy_safe": "avoid", "breastfeeding_safe": "avoid", "trimester_restriction": "all", "risk_category": "FDA-C", "reason": "Limited data; potential absorption concern", "alternative_ingredient": "Zinc Pyrithione; Ketoconazole (per MD)", "source": "FDA"}
uv_stability
{"uv_stable": "yes", "uv_degradation_rate": "stable", "photosensitizer": "no", "phototoxic": "no", "photoallergic": "no", "requires_uv_protection_packaging": "yes", "color_change_uv": "no", "odor_change_uv": "no", "efficacy_loss_uv_pct": "0", "spf_contribution": "no", "uva_protection": "no", "uvb_protection": "no", "photostable_sunscreen": "no", "boost_spf_of_others": "no", "antioxidant_under_uv":…
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Anti-dandruff
Softener and conditioner
Regulatory List Membership (1)
EU CosIng Cosmetics Ingredient Database
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Selenium Sulfide.
Regulatory Flags
eu-not-listed
otc-drug-us
medicinal-eu
drug-cosmetic-boundary
eu_cosing_listed
Known Synonyms
Selenium sulfide (SeS2)
Exsel
Seleen
Selsun
S2 Se
Caswell No. 732A
EINECS 231-303-8
EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 072003
Selenex
Selenium(IV) Disulfide (1:2)
Sel-O-Rinse
Selsun Blue
Selen(IV) sulfid
Sul-Blue
Selukos
Sebusan
Selenix
UNII-Z69D9E381Q
Chemical Function
Softener and conditioner
Anti-dandruff
Regulatory Lists
Europe; Personal care - hair styling and care - shampoo-dandruff
Europe; Personal care; restricted
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Compound
SELENIUM SULFIDE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL1200680
Max Phase
4
Adverse Event Associations
195
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Selenium Sulfide allowed in the EU?
Selenium Sulfide EU regulatory status: prohibited. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Selenium Sulfide do in cosmetics?
Selenium Sulfide functions as: Anti-dandruff active; antifungal. It is classified as a Active Ingredient in our database. CAS number: 7488-56-4.
Is Selenium Sulfide used outside cosmetics?
Selenium Sulfide also appears in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Does Selenium Sulfide have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Selenium Sulfide is prohibited in EU cosmetics but has active industrial GHS classifications (H300, H301, H331, H330, H373, H400, H410).
Compliance Tools
Check Selenium Sulfide 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
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