Compoatlas

CHLORHEXIDINE

Official label name (INCI name, EU glossary of cosmetic ingredient names), No 6211

CHLORHEXIDINE: Preservative allowed under conditions, with limits depending on the product type (Annex V, entry 42), under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009.

In plain words

What it is used for

Functions declared by manufacturers:

Antimicrobial: helps control the growth of micro-organisms on the skin.

Oral care: provides cosmetic effects to the oral cavity, e.g. cleansing, deodorising, protecting.

Preservative: inhibits primarily the development of micro-organisms in cosmetics.

What the rules say

An ingredient can be used as a preservative only if it appears on the list of Annex V. CHLORHEXIDINE is on it with a maximum concentration.

The text of the annexes

Preservative allowed under conditions

Maximum concentration
0.3% (as chlorhexidine)
Entry
Annex V, No 42
Substance
N,N'-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-3,12-diimino-2,4,11,13-tetraazatetradecanediamidine and its digluconate, diacetate and dihydrochloride
Glossary names
CHLORHEXIDINE / CHLORHEXIDINE DIACETATE / CHLORHEXIDINE DIGLUCONATE / CHLORHEXIDINE DIHYDROCHLORIDE
CAS
55-56-1 / 56-95-1 / 18472-51-0 / 3697-42-5
EC
200-238-7 / 200-302-4 / 242-354-0 / 223-026-6
Dates in the act (10)
  • Entry into force on 11 January 2010
  • Application from 1 December 2010
    It shall apply from 11 July 2013, with the exception of: — Article 15(1) and (2) which shall apply from 1 December 2010, as well as Articles 14, 31 and 32 to the extent that they are necessary to apply Article 15(1) and (2); and — Article 16(3) second subparagraph, which shall apply from 11 January 2013.
  • Entry into force on 1 December 2010
  • Condition applicable from 11 January 2012
    As from 11 January 2012, by way of derogation from Directive 76/768/EEC, notification carried out in accordance with Article 13 of this Regulation shall be considered to comply with Article 7(3) and Article 7a(4) of that Directive
  • Application from 11 January 2013
    July 2013, with the exception of: — Article 15(1) and (2) which shall apply from 1 December 2010, as well as Articles 14, 31 and 32 to the extent that they are necessary to apply Article 15(1) and (2); and — Article 16(3) second subparagraph, which shall apply from 11 January 2013.
  • Entry into force on 11 January 2013
  • Application from 11 July 2013
    It shall apply from 11 July 2013, with the exception of: — Article 15(1) and (2) which shall apply from 1 December 2010, as well as Articles 14, 31 and 32 to the extent that they are necessary to apply Article 15(1) and (2); and — Article 16(3) second subparagraph, which shall appl
  • Entry into force on 11 July 2013
  • Placing on the market before 11 July 2013
    Article 39 Transitional provisions By way of derogation from Directive 76/768/EEC, cosmetic products which comply with this Regulation may be placed on the market before 11 July 2013.
  • Placing on the market from 11 July 2013
    As from 11 July 2013, a distributor who makes available in a Member State a cosmetic product already placed on the market in another Member State and translates, on his own initiative, any element of the labelling of that product in order to comply with national law, shall submit, by electronic means, the following info

Excerpts from the English text published in the Official Journal. A date may concern only some substances of the act: the excerpt says so.

Identity

CosIng identifier
32657
CAS (according to CosIng)
55-56-1
EC (according to CosIng)
200-238-7
Declared functions
Antimicrobial, Oral care, Preservative
Wikidata
Q15646788
PubChem
9552079
ECHA InfoCard
100.000.217
InChIKey
GHXZTYHSJHQHIJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Elsewhere in the world

Information on other jurisdictions. What is covered, and what is not yet.

United Kingdom (Great Britain)

  • Preservative allowed under conditions (Annex V)

Same entries as in the European Union. Conditions (concentrations, warnings) may differ: they are not compared here.

Switzerland

Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 applies in Switzerland (Article 54 of the Ordinance on Foodstuffs and Utility Articles).

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.

Japan

  • Allowed under conditions: クロルヘキシジン (Chlorhexidine)

    Annex 3-2 (allowed preservatives), entry 16, page 8.

    Conditions, source text, in Japanese

    [sous-liste] 2　化粧品の種類により配合の制限がある成分(注1) | 100g中の最大配合量（ｇ） / 粘膜に使用されることがない化粧品のうち洗い流すもの: 0.10 | 100g中の最大配合量（ｇ） / 粘膜に使用されることがない化粧品のうち洗い流さないもの: 0.050 | 100g中の最大配合量（ｇ） / 粘膜に使用されることがある化粧品: 0.050 | (注1)　空欄は、配合してはならないことを示し、○印は、配合の上限がないことを示す。

South Korea

  • Restricted: 클로헥시딘, 그 디글루코네이트, 디아세테이트 및 디하이드로클로라이드 (CHLORHEXIDINE)

    별표 2, 보존제 성분 (preservatives), entry 45, page 10. Limit: ․점막에 사용하지 않고 씻어내는 제품에 클로헥시딘으로 서 0.1%,․기타 제품에 클로헥시딘으로서 0.05%.

    Conditions, source text, in Korean

    화학물질명: 클로헥시딘 (CAS No. 55-56-1) | 화학물질명: 클로헥시딘 디글루코네이트 (CAS No. 18472-51-0) | 화학물질명: 클로헥시딘 디아세테이트 (CAS No. 56-95-1) | 화학물질명: 클로헥시딘 디하이드로클로라이드 (CAS No. 3697-42-5)

Brazil

  • Allowed under conditions: Bis-(p-clorofenildiguanida)-1,6-hexano e seus acetato, gluconato e cloridrato (CHLORHEXIDINE/ CHLORHEXIDINE DIACETATE/ CHLORHEXIDINE DIGLUCONATE/ CHLORHEXIDINE DIHYDROCHLORIDE)

    RDC 528/2021, Anexo (allowed preservatives), entry 38, page 4. Limit: 0,3% (expresso como clorexidina).

Recorded cosmetics that contain it

2 recorded products list it, according to Open Beauty Facts contributors. Records are dated: the formula may have changed. See the list (page in French).

Glossary: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1175. Page updated on 21 October 2026.