M-PHENYLENEDIAMINE
Official label name (INCIInternational name of cosmetic ingredients: the one printed on the pack. name, EU glossary of cosmetic ingredient names), No 16955
- Prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II)
M-PHENYLENEDIAMINE: Prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II, entry 1204), under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. Good to know: classified mutagenic (category 2); classified as a sensitiser (skin allergy); hazardous to the aquatic environment. Annexes of the Regulation consulted on 23 October 2026.
Who it concerns
This ingredient is prohibited in cosmetics in the European Union: what follows describes its hazards, not a permitted use.
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
Prohibited in cosmetics in the European Union for everyone, whatever the age or situation: no specific condition is therefore needed for this group.
Babies and children
Prohibited in cosmetics in the European Union for everyone, whatever the age or situation: no specific condition is therefore needed for this group.
Skin, eyes and allergies
Worth watchingThe text sets a condition or flags a hazard worth knowing: allergen, suspected effect, condition for children, hazard to the aquatic environment.
Worth watching Classified under the CLPEU regulation that classifies chemicals by their hazards (EC No 1272/2008). Regulation: eye irritation, category 2 (Eye Irrit. 2); skin sensitisation, category 1 (Skin Sens. 1).
Environment
Worth watchingThe text sets a condition or flags a hazard worth knowing: allergen, suspected effect, condition for children, hazard to the aquatic environment.
Worth watching Classified under the CLP Regulation: hazardous to the aquatic environment, short term, category 1 (Aquatic Acute 1); hazardous to the aquatic environment, long term, category 1 (Aquatic Chronic 1).
Read on the label
The Cosmetics Regulation requires no warning to be printed for this ingredient.
Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP), consolidated version, Annex VI table 3, retrieved 21 October 2026.
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
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.
CosIng, Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (prohibited substances), retrieved 23 October 2026, source updated 13 October 2026.
Hazard and risk
The CLP Regulation classifies this substance as 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).
Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP), consolidated version, Annex VI table 3, retrieved 21 October 2026.
The text of the annexes
Prohibited in cosmetics
CosIng links the name M-PHENYLENEDIAMINE to this Annex II entry.
- Entry
- Annex II, No 1204
- Substance
- m-Phenylenediamine and its salts
- CAS
- 108-45-2
- EC
- 203-584-7
Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex II, entry 1204. CosIng, Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (prohibited 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 Request for Confirmation of the SCCNFP Opinion 0474/01 on Chemical Ingredients in Cosmetic Products Classified as Carcinogenic, Mutagenic or Toxic to Reproduction according to Council Directive 67/548/EEC; Opinion concerning Request for Confirmation of the SCCNFP Opinion 0474/01 on Chemical Ingredients in Cosmetic Products Classified as Carcinogenic, Mutagenic or Toxic to Reproduction according to Council Directive 67/548/EEC.
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 II, entry 1204: introduced or replaced by Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009
Annex II, entry 1204: applies from this date
CLP classification “Muta. 2” applicable at the latest from this date (Regulation (EU) 2018/669)
Washington State: Prohibited
Identity
- CosIng identifier
- 56985
- CAS (according to CosIng)
- 108-45-2
- Declared functions
- Hair dyeing
CosIng inventory. CosIng, inventory of cosmetic ingredients (INCI names, CAS, EC, functions), retrieved 21 October 2026.
Classified hazard (CLP Regulation)
The harmonised classification is the one set by the European Union for the whole Union. H codes refer to the hazard statements of Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008.
m-phenylenediamine
Germ cell mutagenicity, category 2 (Muta. 2)
- Hazard classes
- Germ cell mutagenicity, category 2 (Muta. 2)
Acute toxicity, category 3 (Acute Tox. 3)
Eye irritation, category 2 (Eye Irrit. 2)
Skin sensitisation, category 1 (Skin Sens. 1)
Hazardous to the aquatic environment, short term, category 1 (Aquatic Acute 1)
Hazardous to the aquatic environment, long term, category 1 (Aquatic Chronic 1) - Hazard statements
- H341 H331 H311 H301 H319 H317 H400 H410
Annex VI, entry 612-147-00-3, linked by CAS 108-45-2. Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP), consolidated version, Annex VI table 3, retrieved 21 October 2026.
Entry introduced or replaced by Regulation (EU) 2018/669, applicable at the latest from 1 December 2019.
EU product alerts (Safety Gate)
2 alerts on cosmetic products cite this name in their hazard description. An alert targets a specific product, not the ingredient itself. Under each alert, its reason (prohibited substance, limit exceeded, missing labelling, and so on), as published.
- 14 June 2013: Hair dye, Inecto, Belgium (“Serious risk”) alert
The product poses a chemical risk because, according to the label, it contains m-phenylenediamine which is classified as strongly sensitising, and must not be present in hair dyes.The product does not comply with the Cosmetics Directive 76/768/EEC. - 12 September 2008: Hair colouring cream - "Color Contrast", JALYD, Portugal (“Serious risk”) alert
The product poses a chemical risk because the list of ingredients includes the substance “m-phenylenediamine”, which is banned in cosmetics and personal hygiene products under the Cosmetics Directive 76/768/EEC.
Safety Gate, EU rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products: cosmetic alerts from the weekly reports, retrieved 23 October 2026.
Source: European Commission, Safety GateEU rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products. weekly reports (CC0).
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 | Prohibited in cosmetics | not cited |
| United Kingdom | Prohibited in cosmetics | not cited |
| Switzerland | EU Regulation applies | not cited |
| United States (federal) | No federal rule recorded | not cited |
| Washington State | Prohibited | not cited |
| Japan | No entry in the lists recorded | not cited |
| South Korea | Prohibited | not cited |
| China | Prohibited | not cited |
| Australia | No entry in the lists recorded | not cited |
| Brazil | Prohibited | not cited |
United Kingdom (Great Britain)
- Prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II)
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.
Washington State (United States)
- Prohibited: m-phenylenediamine and its salts (CAS 108-45-2)
RCW 70A.560.020 (1)(g), from 1 January 2025. Prohibited when intentionally added to a cosmetic product.
Washington State, Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act: RCW 70A.560.020 and WAC 173-339, retrieved 22 October 2026.
South Korea
- Prohibited: m-페닐렌디아민
별표 1 (prohibited substances), entry 901, page 45.
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.
China
- Prohibited: 间苯二胺及其盐类 (m-Phenylenediamine （CAS No. 108-45-2） and its salts)
表1 化妆品禁用原料目录 (prohibited substances, 2021年第74号), entry 917, page 附件2 (.doc) table row 917 ; TID reprint p.36.
China, NMPA catalogues of prohibited cosmetic ingredients (2021 No. 74, revised up to 2026), retrieved 22 October 2026.
Source: 国家药品监督管理局 (NMPA); plant catalogue as reprinted by the Trade and Industry Department of Hong Kong; table formatted by the publisher of this site.
Brazil
- Prohibited: m-fenilenodiamina e seus sais
RDC 529/2021, Anexo (prohibited substances), entry 1204, page 41.
Conditions, source text, in Portuguese
N° UE: 1204
Brazil, ANVISA resolutions RDC 529/2021, 528/2021, 600/2022 and 628/2022, retrieved 22 October 2026.
Source: ANVISA. Text of the adopted draft resolutions, as the Official Journal could not be accessed; the 2021 lists of prohibited substances and preservatives were compared with the copy of the published text distributed by the State of Paraná, the 2022 lists of UV filters and colorants were not.
Glossary: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1175. Page updated on 23 October 2026.