PYROGALLOL
Official label name (INCIInternational name of cosmetic ingredients: the one printed on the pack. name, EU glossary of cosmetic ingredient names), No 23756
- Prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II)
PYROGALLOL: Prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II, entry 409), under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. Good to know: classified mutagenic (category 2); 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
No harmonised classification for sensitisation, irritation or eye damage, and no obligation to label it as an allergen.
Environment
For informationOfficial information with no condition on a finished product: warning to read, irritation of the pure substance.
For information Classified under the CLPEU regulation that classifies chemicals by their hazards (EC No 1272/2008). Regulation: hazardous to the aquatic environment, long term, category 3 (Aquatic Chronic 3).
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.
Origin and odour
Molecule occurring naturally in plants or organisms; the cosmetic ingredient may be extracted from them, produced by fermentation or synthesised: the label does not say which.
Basis: one CosIng CAS and natural occurrence recorded in Wikidata (LOTUS database).
Wikidata: names of substances in six languages and taxa in which they occur (largely from the LOTUS database), retrieved 23 October 2026.
Natural occurrence recorded in Wikidata (LOTUS database): 20 taxa; examples: Phyllanthus emblica, Phyllanthus reticulatus, Crocus sativus, Allium sativum, Punica granatum.
Wikidata: names of substances in six languages and taxa in which they occur (largely from the LOTUS database), retrieved 23 October 2026.
Other names: pirogallolo (Italian), pirogalol (Portuguese).
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 20 266).
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
Prohibited in cosmetics
CosIng links the name PYROGALLOL to this Annex II entry.
- Entry
- Annex II, No 409
- Substance
- Pyrogallol
- CAS
- 87-66-1
- EC
- 201-762-9
Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex II, entry 409. 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.
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 409: introduced or replaced by Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009
Annex II, entry 409: applies from this date
CLP classification “Muta. 2” applicable at the latest from this date (Regulation (EU) 2018/669)
Identity
- CosIng identifier
- 58786
- CAS (according to CosIng)
- 87-66-1
- 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.
pyrogallol; 1,2,3-trihydroxybenzene
Germ cell mutagenicity, category 2 (Muta. 2)
- Hazard classes
- Germ cell mutagenicity, category 2 (Muta. 2)
Acute toxicity, category 4 (Acute Tox. 4)
Hazardous to the aquatic environment, long term, category 3 (Aquatic Chronic 3) - Hazard statements
- H341 H332 H312 H302 H412
Annex VI, entry 604-009-00-6, linked by CAS 87-66-1. 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)
1 alert 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.
- 10 July 2015: Hair dye, Creme of Nature, Sweden (“Serious risk”) alert
The product contains pyrogallol and o-aminophenol. O-aminophenol is harmful if swallowed or inhaled and pyrogallol is harmful by inhalation, contact with the skin and if swallowed.The product does not comply with the Cosmetic Products Regulation.
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 |
| Canada | Prohibited | not cited |
| Japan | Prohibited | not cited |
| South Korea | Prohibited | not cited |
| China | Prohibited | not cited |
| Australia | No entry in the lists recorded | not cited |
| ASEAN | Prohibited | not cited |
| Taiwan | Prohibited | not cited |
| Brazil | No entry in the lists recorded | 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.
Canada
- Prohibited: Pyrogallol
Hotlist, prohibited ingredients.
Canada, Health Canada Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist (prohibited and restricted ingredients), retrieved 24 October 2026.
Source: Health Canada, Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist (canada.ca, French and English pages); table extracted and formatted by the publisher of this site, not the official version, with no endorsement by Health Canada.
Japan
- Prohibited: ピロガロール (Pyrogallol)
Annex 1 (prohibited substances), entry 23, page 3.
Japan, Standards for Cosmetics (MHLW Notification No. 331 of 2000) and tar colour ordinance, retrieved 22 October 2026.
Source: 厚生労働省 (MHLW), 化粧品基準; table extracted and formatted by the publisher of this site, with no endorsement by the ministry.
South Korea
- Prohibited: 피로갈롤 (PYROGALLOL)
별표 1 (prohibited substances), entry 985, page 49.
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: 焦棓酚 (Pyrogallol （CAS No. 87-66-1）)
表1 化妆品禁用原料目录 (prohibited substances, 2021年第74号), entry 1076, page 附件2 (.doc) table row 1076 ; TID reprint p.41.
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.
ASEAN (South-East Asia)
- Prohibited: Pyrogallol
Annex II (prohibited substances), entry 409, page 15.
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
- Prohibited: Pyrogallol
化粧品禁止使用成分表 (prohibited substances).
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.