PABA (4-aminobenzoic acid)
Official label name (INCI name, EU glossary of cosmetic ingredient names), No 18579
- Prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II)
PABA (4-aminobenzoic acid): Prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II, entry 167), under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009.
In plain words
What it is used for
Functions declared by manufacturers:
Light stabilizer.
UV absorber: protects the cosmetic product from the effects of UV light.
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 PABA to this Annex II entry.
- Entry
- Annex II, No 167
- Substance
- 4-Aminobenzoic acid and its esters, with the free amino group
- CAS
- 150-13-0
- EC
- 205-753-0
Dates in the act (3)
- Entry into force on 15 May 2013
- Application from 11 July 2013
It shall apply from 11 July 2013.
- Entry into force on 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.
Identity
- CosIng identifier
- 35778
- CAS (according to CosIng)
- 150-13-0
- EC (according to CosIng)
- 205-753-0
- Declared functions
- Light stabilizer, UV absorber
- Wikidata
- Q284959
- PubChem
- 978
- ECHA InfoCard
- 100.005.231
- InChIKey
- ALYNCZNDIQEVRV-UHFFFAOYSA-N
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: 4-아미노벤조익애씨드 및 아미노기 (-NH2)를 가진 그 에스텔
별표 1 (prohibited substances), entry 507, page 27.
Conditions, source text, in Korean
화학물질명: 4-아미노벤조익애씨드 (CAS No. 150-13-0)
China
- Prohibited: 带游离氨基的 4-氨基苯甲酸及其酯类 (4-Aminobenzoic acid （CAS No. 150-13-0） and its esters, with the free amino group)
表1 化妆品禁用原料目录 (prohibited substances, 2021年第74号), entry 200, page 附件2 (.doc) table row 200 ; TID reprint p.9.
Brazil
- Allowed under conditions: Ácido 4 – aminobenzóico PABA (PABA)
RDC 600/2022, Anexo (allowed UV filters), entry 15, page 3. Limit: 15%.
Glossary: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1175. Page updated on 21 October 2026.