HC BLUE NO. 11
Official label name (INCIInternational name of cosmetic ingredients: the one printed on the pack. name, EU glossary of cosmetic ingredient names), No 11569
- Allowed with restrictions (Annex III)
HC BLUE NO. 11: Allowed with restrictions, maximum 2.0% in the ready-for-use preparation, only in: Hair dye substance in non-oxidative hair dye products (Annex III, entry 196), 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:
Hair dyeing: colours hair.
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Definitions of functions (decision repealed on 8 May 2020, cited for information).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
Allowed, with restrictions: Annex III sets a maximum concentration and the product types allowed. Ingredient lists do not give quantities, so the concentration cannot be checked on the label.
CosIng, Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (restricted substances), 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: 1-[(2'-Methoxyethyl)amino]-2-nitro-4-[di-(2'-hydroxyethyl)amino]benzene (English).
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 19 871).
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
- Product type
- Hair dye substance in non-oxidative hair dye products
- Maximum concentration
- 2.0%
- Other conditions
- - Do not use with nitrosating systems - Maximum nitrosamine content: 50 microgram/kg - Keep in nitrite-free containers
- Entry
- Annex III, No 196
- Substance
- 1-[(2'-Methoxyethyl)amino]-2-nitro-4-[di-(2'-hydroxyethyl)amino]benzene (see note 17)
- Glossary names
- HC BLUE NO. 11
- CAS
- 23920-15-2
- EC
- 459-980-7
Dates in the act (2)
- Entry into force on 15 May 2013
- Application from 11 July 2013
It shall apply from 11 July 2013.
Excerpts from the English text published in the Official Journal. A date may concern only some substances of the act: the excerpt says so.
Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex III, entry 196. CosIng, Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (restricted substances), retrieved 23 October 2026, source updated 13 October 2026.
Entry from Regulation (EU) n° 344/2013, adopted on 4 April 2013. Last amended by Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 (consolidated version, EUR-Lex).
SCCSEU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety: it assesses cosmetic ingredients. opinions cited: Request for a Re-evaluation of hair dyes listed in Annex III to Directive 76/768/EEC on Cosmetic Products; Opinion concerning Use of Permanent Hair Dyes and Bladder Cancer - Updated 2004; Opinion on Personal Use of Hair Dyes and Cancer Risk; Opinion on the Use of Permanent Hair Dyes and Bladder Cancer Risk; Assessment Strategies for Hair Dyes; Opinion on HC Blue No. 11; Opinion on HC Blue No. 11.
Allowed with restrictions
- Product type
- Hair dye substance in non-oxidative hair dye products
- Maximum concentration
- 2.0%
- Other conditions
- — Do not use with nitro sating agents — Maximum nitrosamine content: 50 μg /kg — Keep in nitrite-free containers
- Entry
- Annex III, No 220
- Substance
- 1-[(2′-Methoxye thyl)amino]-2-nitro- 4-[di-(2′-hydroxye thyl)amino]ben zene
- Glossary names
- HC Blue No 11
- CAS
- 23920-15-2
- EC
- 459-980-7
Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex III, entry 220. 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. Last amended by Regulation (EU) n° 344/2013 (consolidated version, EUR-Lex).
What has changed, and what will change
Dates of the texts that cover this ingredient. A text date may cover several substances: the details of each entry are below.
Annex III, entry 220: introduced or replaced by Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009
Annex III, entry 196: introduced or replaced by Regulation (EU) n° 344/2013
Annex III, entry 196: applies from this date
Annex III, entry 220: applies from this date
Identity
- CosIng identifier
- 34188
- CAS (according to CosIng)
- 23920-15-2
- Declared functions
- Hair dyeing
CosIng inventory. CosIng, inventory of cosmetic ingredients (INCI names, CAS, EC, functions), retrieved 21 October 2026.
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 | Allowed with restrictions | 2% |
| United Kingdom | Allowed with restrictions | 2% |
| Switzerland | EU Regulation applies | 2% |
| United States (federal) | No federal rule recorded | not cited |
| Canada | No entry in the lists recorded | not cited |
| Japan | No entry in the lists recorded | not cited |
| South Korea | Prohibited differs from the EU | 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 |
| ASEAN | Restricted (conditions or maximum concentration) | 2% |
| Taiwan | Restricted (conditions or maximum concentration) | 2% |
| Brazil | No entry in the lists recorded | not cited |
United Kingdom (Great Britain)
- Allowed with restrictions (Annex III)
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.
South Korea
- Prohibited: 에이치시 청색 No. 11
별표 1 (prohibited substances), entry 593, page 32.
South Korea, MFDS Regulation on Safety Standards for Cosmetics, Notification 2026-19, retrieved 22 October 2026.
Source: 식품의약품안전처 (MFDS), 화장품 안전기준 등에 관한 규정, via law.go.kr; table formatted by the publisher of this site.
ASEAN (South-East Asia)
- Restricted (conditions or maximum concentration): 1-[(2′-Methoxyethyl)amino]-2-nitro-4-[di-(2′-hydroxyethyl)amino]benzene HC Blue No 11
Annex III (restricted substances), entry 196, page 145. Limit: 2.0%.
Conditions, source text
Ref column: (220) | Field of application and/or use: Hair dye substance in non-oxidative hair dye products Use for dyeing eyelashes and eyebrows is not permitted. | Other limitations and requirements: • Do not use with nitrosating agents • Maximum nitrosamine content: 50 μg/kg(21) • Keep in nitrite-free containers The free base and salts of this hair colouring ingredient, unless prohibited under Annex II, are permitted for use. The direction for use “wear suitable gloves” must be included in label or leaflet text. | Conditions of use and warning which must be printed on the labels: Do not use to dye eyelashes or eyebrows
ASEAN Cosmetic Directive, Annexes II, III, IV, VI and VII (version 2026-1 of 22 June 2026, Annex VII 2025-2), retrieved 24 October 2026.
Source: ASEAN Cosmetic Documents, Annexes of the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive, as published by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA, Singapore); table extracted and formatted by the publisher of this site, with no endorsement by HSA or ASEAN.
Taiwan
- Restricted (conditions or maximum concentration): 1-[(2'-Methoxyethyl)amino]-2-nitro-4-[di-(2'-hydroxyethyl)amino]benzene (HC Blue No. 11)
化粧品成分使用限制表 (restricted substances). Limit: 2%.
Conditions, source text, in Chinese
產品類型／使用範圍：非氧化性染髮產品 | 限制規定：不得與亞硝基化劑一起使用; 亞硝胺限量:50 microgram/kg (ppb); 應置於無亞硝基酸鹽之容器
Taiwan, TFDA cosmetic ingredient tables (prohibited, restricted, preservatives, UV filters, colorants), open data, retrieved 24 October 2026.
Source: Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA), open datasets on data.gov.tw (Open Government Data License, version 1.0); table formatted by the publisher of this site.
Glossary: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1175. Page updated on 23 October 2026.