CETALKONIUM CHLORIDE
Official label name (INCIInternational name of cosmetic ingredients: the one printed on the pack. name, EU glossary of cosmetic ingredient names), No 5817
- Cited as an example in a rule, no rule of its own (Annex III)
- Cited as an example in a rule, no rule of its own (Annex V)
CETALKONIUM CHLORIDE: Cited as an example in a rule, no rule of its own (Annex III, entry 65); cited as an example in a rule, no rule of its own (Annex V, entry 54), under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. Annexes of the Regulation consulted on 23 October 2026.
Who it concerns
What official classifications and rules say for each group. A classification describes the hazard of the pure substance, not the risk of a product that contains it, which depends on the dose and the exposure.
Prohibition or serious classificationThe text prohibits the substance for this use, or ranks it among the most serious hazards (known or presumed carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic, identified endocrine disruptor).Worth watchingThe text sets a condition or flags a hazard worth knowing: allergen, suspected effect, condition for children, hazard to the aquatic environment.For informationOfficial information with no condition on a finished product: warning to read, irritation of the pure substance.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
No classification harmonised by the European Union covers reproduction, the unborn child or breastfeeding for this substance. This does not mean it has been judged to have no effect during pregnancy.
Babies and children
The Cosmetics Regulation sets no age-related condition for this ingredient.
Skin, eyes and allergies
No harmonised classification for sensitisation, irritation or eye damage, and no obligation to label it as an allergen.
Environment
No harmonised classification as hazardous to the aquatic environment, and it is not on ECHAEuropean Chemicals Agency.'s Candidate List as an endocrine disruptor for the environment.
Read on the label
The Cosmetics Regulation requires no warning to be printed for this ingredient.
In plain words
What it is used for
Functions declared by manufacturers:
Antimicrobial: helps control the growth of micro-organisms on the skin.
Antistatic: reduces static electricity by neutralising electrical charge on a surface.
Preservative: inhibits primarily the development of micro-organisms in cosmetics.
Functions declared in the CosIngThe European Commission's database of cosmetic ingredients. inventory. CosIng, inventory of cosmetic ingredients (INCI names, CAS, EC, functions), retrieved 21 October 2026.
Definitions of functions (decision repealed on 8 May 2020, cited for information). Decision 2006/257/EC, inventory of cosmetic ingredients (definitions of functions), retrieved 22 October 2026.
What the rules say
This name is only cited as an example in an entry of Annex III, which covers a family of substances: the exact conditions depend on the form used.
This name is only cited as an example in an entry of Annex V, which covers a family of substances: the exact conditions depend on the form used.
CosIng, Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (restricted substances), retrieved 23 October 2026, source updated 13 October 2026.
CosIng, Annex V of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (allowed preservatives), retrieved 23 October 2026, source updated 13 October 2026.
Origin and odour
No natural occurrence recorded in Wikidata (LOTUS database); this does not prove that the ingredient is synthetic.
Basis: one CosIng CAS, with no natural occurrence recorded in this database.
Wikidata: names of substances in six languages and taxa in which they occur (largely from the LOTUS database), retrieved 23 October 2026.
Other names: Chlorure de cétalkonium (French), Cetylalkoniumchlorid (German).
Wikidata: names of substances in six languages and taxa in which they occur (largely from the LOTUS database), retrieved 23 October 2026.
Present in 0.0% of recorded cosmetics (0 out of 18 968).
Open Beauty Facts, export of cosmetic products, retrieved 23 October 2026.
Data “Open Beauty Facts and its contributors”, licensed under ODbL 1.0 (opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/1-0); derived table distributed under the same licence.
The text of the annexes
Allowed with restrictions
CosIng cites the name CETALKONIUM CHLORIDE in this entry, whose regulated name is “BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE / BENZALKONIUM BROMIDE / BENZALKONIUM SACCHARINATE”: the title below says which form or use it covers.
- Product type
- Rinse-off hair (head) products
- Maximum concentration
- 3% (as benzalkonium chloride)
- Other conditions
- In the final products the concentrations of benzalkonium chloride, bromide and saccharinate with an alkyl chain of C14, or less must not exceed 0.1% (as benzalkonium chloride) For purposes other than inhibiting the development of micro-organismes in the product. This purpose has to be apparent from the presentation of the product
- Warning to print
- Avoid contact with the eyes
- Entry
- Annex III, No 65
- Substance
- Benzalkonium chloride, bromide and saccharinate (9)
- Glossary names
- BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE / BENZALKONIUM BROMIDE / BENZALKONIUM SACCHARINATE
- CAS
- 91080-29-4 / 63449-41-2 / 68391-01-5 / 68424-85-1 / 85409-22-9 / 68989-01-5
- EC
- 293-522-5 / 264-151-6 / 269-919-4 / 270-325-2 / 287-089-1 / 273-545-7
Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex III, entry 65. CosIng, Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (restricted substances), retrieved 23 October 2026, source updated 13 October 2026.
Entry from Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, adopted on 30 November 2009.
SCCSEU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety: it assesses cosmetic ingredients. opinions cited: Opinion concerning Restrictions on Materials listed in annex VI of Directive 76/768/EEC on Cosmetic Products.
Preservative allowed under conditions
CosIng cites the name CETALKONIUM CHLORIDE in this entry, whose regulated name is “BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE / BENZALKONIUM BROMIDE / BENZALKONIUM SACCHARINATE”: the title below says which form or use it covers.
- Maximum concentration
- 0.1% (as benzalkonium chloride)
- Warning to print
- Avoid contact with eyes
- Entry
- Annex V, No 54
- Substance
- Benzalkonium chloride, bromide and saccharinate (10)
- Glossary names
- BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE / BENZALKONIUM BROMIDE / BENZALKONIUM SACCHARINATE
- CAS
- 8001-54-5/ 63449-41-2 / 91080-29-4 / 68989-01-5 / 68424-85-1 / 68391-01-5 / 61789-71-7 / 85409-22-9
- EC
- 264-151-6 / 293-522-5 / 273-545-7 / 270-325-2 / 269-919-4 / 263-080-8 / 287-089-1
Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex V, entry 54. CosIng, Annex V of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (allowed preservatives), retrieved 23 October 2026, source updated 13 October 2026.
Entry from Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, adopted on 30 November 2009.
SCCS opinions cited: Opinion concerning Restrictions on Materials listed in annex VI of Directive 76/768/EEC on Cosmetic Products.
Identity
- CosIng identifier
- 32509
- CAS (according to CosIng)
- 122-18-9
- EC (according to CosIng)
- 204-526-3
- Declared functions
- Antimicrobial, Antistatic, Preservative
- Wikidata
- Q18345315
- ECHA InfoCard
- 100.004.116
- InChIKey
- SXPWTBGAZSPLHA-UHFFFAOYSA-M
CosIng inventory. CosIng, inventory of cosmetic ingredients (INCI names, CAS, EC, functions), retrieved 21 October 2026.
Wikidata, items with a CosIng identifier (P3073), retrieved 22 October 2026.
Wikidata, PubChem and ECHA links are published only when verified: same CosIng identifier, a single item, matching CAS number.
Elsewhere in the world
Information on other jurisdictions, with no effect on sale in France. What is covered, and what is not yet.
Comparison between countries
Most restrictive status in each country, and the maximum concentration cited. The details and the source of each rule follow.
| Country | Rule | Maximum concentration cited |
|---|---|---|
| European Union | Cited as an example in a rule, no rule of its own | not cited |
| United Kingdom | Cited as an example in a rule, no rule of its own | not cited |
| Switzerland | EU Regulation applies | not cited |
| United States (federal) | No federal rule recorded | not cited |
| Japan | No entry in the lists recorded | not cited |
| South Korea | No entry in the lists recorded | not cited |
| China | Not on the prohibited lists recorded (lists of allowed substances are not recorded) | not cited |
| Australia | No entry in the lists recorded | not cited |
| Brazil | No entry in the lists recorded | not cited |
United Kingdom (Great Britain)
- Cited as an example in a rule, no rule of its own (Annex III)
- Cited as an example in a rule, no rule of its own (Annex V)
Same entries as in the European Union. Their maximum concentrations are compared in the “Comparison between countries” table; other conditions (product types, warnings) may differ.
Annexes II to VI in force. United Kingdom, Annexes II to VI of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 as retained and amended, retrieved 21 October 2026.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Northern Ireland applies EU law.
Switzerland
Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 applies in Switzerland (Article 54 of the Ordinance on Foodstuffs and Utility Articles).
Switzerland, FDHA Ordinance on Cosmetic Products (OCos, SR 817.023.31), consolidated version, retrieved 22 October 2026.
United States, federal rules
None of the integrated sections of the federal code (21 CFR 700.11 to 700.27 and 250.250) targets this name. The FDA does not publish a list of allowed ingredients.
United States, 21 CFR part 700 and section 250.250 (FDA rules on cosmetic ingredients), eCFR, retrieved 21 October 2026.
The eCFR is not an official legal edition of the Code of Federal Regulations.
Glossary: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1175. Page updated on 23 October 2026.