Compoatlas

CHROMIUM

Official label name (INCI name, EU glossary of cosmetic ingredient names), No 6286

CHROMIUM: Prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II, entry 97), under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009.

In plain words

What it is used for

Functions declared by manufacturers:

Colorant: colours cosmetics and/or imparts colour to the skin and/or its appendages.

What the rules say

It is prohibited to use it in a cosmetic product sold in the European Union, whatever the dose. If it appears on the ingredient list of a recent product, this needs checking: the record may be old or wrong, or the product intended for another market.

The text of the annexes

Prohibited in cosmetics

CosIng links the name CHROMIUM to this Annex II entry.

Entry
Annex II, No 97
Substance
Chromium; chromic acid and its salts
CAS
7440-47-3
EC
231-157-5
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
85041
CAS (according to CosIng)
7440-47-3
EC (according to CosIng)
231-157-5
Declared functions
Colorant

EU product alerts (Safety Gate)

11 alerts on cosmetic products cite this name in their hazard description. An alert targets a specific product, not the ingredient itself; each alert states the reason (prohibited substance, limit exceeded, missing labelling, and so on).

  • 3 May 2024: Eyeshadow palette, United Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland (“Serious risk”) alert
  • 3 May 2024: Eyeshadow palette, United Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland (“Serious risk”) alert
  • 27 May 2022: Children’s make-up, Miss Carina -trucchi bimba, Italy (“Serious risk”) alert
  • 6 August 2021: Toy make-up set, Migliorati, Italy (“Serious risk”) alert
  • 13 July 2018: Mascara, Infiniment vous, France (“Serious risk”) alert
  • 16 February 2018: Eyeshadow palette, The Bronze Palette, Ireland (“Serious risk”) alert
  • 16 February 2018: Lipstick, Matte Liquid, Ireland (“Serious risk”) alert
  • 17 January 2014: Make-up set, KTN - Boulevard de Beauté, Slovakia (“Serious risk”) alert
  • 17 January 2014: Make-up set, KTN - Boulevard de Beauté, Slovakia (“Serious risk”) alert
  • 16 October 2009: Children's make up set - Creative Play 3 in 1 Cosmetics – Create a Face, Creative Play, United Kingdom (“Serious risk”) alert

Elsewhere in the world

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

United Kingdom (Great Britain)

  • Prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II)

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.

South Korea

  • Prohibited: 크롬 ; 크로믹애씨드 및 그 염류 (CHROMIUM)

    별표 1 (prohibited substances), entry 729, page 38. Conditions (source text, in Korean): 화학물질명: 크롬 (CAS No. 7440-47-3) | 화학물질명: 크로믹애씨드 (CAS No. 7738-94-5)

China

  • Prohibited: 铬、铬酸及其盐类, 以 Cr6+计 (Chromium （CAS No. 7440-47-3）; chromic acid and its salts（Cr6+）)

    表1 化妆品禁用原料目录 (prohibited substances, 2021年第74号), entry 411, page 附件2 (.doc) table row 411 ; TID reprint p.17.

Brazil

  • Prohibited: Crômio, ácido crômico e seus sais

    RDC 529/2021, Anexo (prohibited substances), entry 97, page 5. Conditions (source text, in Portuguese): N° UE: 97

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