FORMALDEHYDE
Official label name (INCI name, EU glossary of cosmetic ingredient names), No 10579
- Prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II)
FORMALDEHYDE: Prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II, entry 1577), 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.
Denaturant: renders cosmetics unpalatable. Mostly added to cosmetics containing ethyl alcohol.
Preservative: inhibits primarily the development of micro-organisms in cosmetics.
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.
Hazard and risk
The CLP Regulation classifies this substance as carcinogenic, category 1B (presumed effect, established mainly from animal studies) and mutagenic (may damage DNA), category 2 (suspected effect, without enough evidence for a higher category).
This classification describes what the substance can cause (a hazard), not what happens when using a product (a risk): the risk depends on the dose, the form and the route of exposure (skin, inhalation, ingestion).
Already prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II).
The text of the annexes
Prohibited in cosmetics
CosIng links the name FORMALDEHYDE to this Annex II entry.
- Entry
- Annex II, No 1577
- Substance
- Formaldehyde
- CAS
- 50-00-0
- EC
- 200-001-8
- CMR
- Carcinogenic Cat. 1B(),Mutagenic Cat. 2()
Dates in the act (1)
- Entry into force on 12 June 2019
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
- 33948
- CAS (according to CosIng)
- 50-00-0
- EC (according to CosIng)
- 200-001-8
- Declared functions
- Antimicrobial, Denaturant, Preservative
Classified hazard (CLP Regulation)
A classification describes an intrinsic hazard, not a risk: the risk depends on the dose, the form and the exposure.
formaldehyde … %
CMR Carc. 1B ; Muta. 2
- Hazard classes
- Carc. 1B
Muta. 2
Acute Tox. 2
Acute Tox. 4
Skin Corr. 1B
Skin Sens. 1A - Hazard statements
- H350 H341 H330 H302 H314 H317
- CLP notes
- B, D, F
Already prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II).
EU product alerts (Safety Gate)
54 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).
- 18 September 2026: Hair cream, Gürbent, Sweden (“Serious risk”) alert
- 28 August 2026: Sun protection cream, Maycheer, Germany (“Serious risk”) alert
- 5 June 2026: Hair mask, Greece (“Serious risk”) alert
- 10 April 2026: Hair cream, Nov'Max, United Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland (“Serious risk”) alert
- 30 January 2026: Hair product, INOAR, France (“Serious risk”) alert
- 30 January 2026: Hair care product, INOAR, France (“Serious risk”) alert
- 3 October 2025: Hair straightening cream, bottoplex premium, Germany (“Serious risk”) alert
- 1 August 2025: Hair treatment, Cocochoco professional, Austria (“Serious risk”) alert
- 11 July 2025: Hair care set, BIEN CACAU, Germany (“Serious risk”) alert
- 11 July 2025: Hair straightening product, Cocochoco professional, Germany (“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.
Washington State (United States)
- Prohibited: Formaldehyde (CAS 50-00-0) and chemicals determined by the department to release formaldehyde
RCW 70A.560.020 (1)(c), from 1 January 2025. Prohibited when intentionally added to a cosmetic product.
South Korea
- Prohibited: 포름알데하이드 및 p-포름알데하이드
별표 1 (prohibited substances), entry 935, page 47. Conditions (source text, in Korean): 화학물질명: 포름알데하이드 (CAS No. 50-00-0) | 화학물질명: p-포름알데하이드 (CAS No. 30525-89-4)
China
- Prohibited: 甲醛 (Formaldehyde （CAS No. 50-00-0）)
表1 化妆品禁用原料目录 (prohibited substances, 2021年第74号), entry 1272, page 附件2 (.doc) table row 1272 ; TID reprint p.48.
Australia
- Subject to conditions (threshold, labelling or packaging): FORMALDEHYDE
Poisons Standard, Schedule 6 (cosmetic entries), page 259. Thresholds cited: 0.05% or more | 5% or more | 0.2% or less. Conditions (source text): (excluding its derivatives) in preparations containing 0.05% or more of free formaldehyde except: | (a) for human therapeutic use; or | (b) in oral hygiene preparations; or | (c) in nail hardener cosmetic preparations containing 5% or more of free formaldehyde; or | (d) in nail hardener cosmetic preparations containing 0.2% or less of free formaldehyde when labelled with the statement: | PROTECT CUTICLES WITH GREASE OR OIL; | (e) in all other cosmetic preparations; or | (f) in other preparations containing 0.2% or less of free formaldehyde when labelled with the warning statement: | CONTAINS FORMALDEHYDE.
- Prohibited for the stated use: FORMALDEHYDE
Poisons Standard, Schedule 10 (formerly Appendix C), page 316. Thresholds cited: more than 0.1% | 0.005% or more | 5% or more | 0.05% or more | 0.2% or less. Conditions (source text): (excluding its derivatives): | (a) in oral hygiene preparations containing more than 0.1% of free formaldehyde; or | (b) in aerosol sprays for cosmetic use containing 0.005% or more of free formaldehyde; or | (c) in nail hardener cosmetic preparations containing 5% or more of free formaldehyde; or | (d) in all other cosmetic preparations containing 0.05% or more of free formaldehyde except in preparations containing 0.2% or less of free formaldehyde when labelled with the warning statement: | CONTAINS FORMALDEHYDE.
Recorded cosmetics that contain it
5 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.