ZINC OXIDE
Official label name (INCI name, EU glossary of cosmetic ingredient names), No 30336
- UV filter allowed under conditions (Annex VI)
- Colorant allowed under conditions (Annex IV)
ZINC OXIDE: UV filter allowed under conditions, with limits depending on the product type (Annex VI, entry 30a); colorant allowed under conditions (Annex IV, entry 144), 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.
Bulking: reduces bulk density of cosmetics.
Colorant: colours cosmetics and/or imparts colour to the skin and/or its appendages.
Oral care: provides cosmetic effects to the oral cavity, e.g. cleansing, deodorising, protecting.
Skin protecting: helps to avoid harmful effects to the skin from external factors.
Light stabilizer.
UV absorber: protects the cosmetic product from the effects of UV light.
UV filter: filters certain UV rays in order to protect the skin or the hair from harmful effects of these rays.
What the rules say
An ingredient can be used as a UV filter only if it appears on the list of Annex VI. <function plain_language.<locals>.name at 0x7f7804e04fe0> is on it with a maximum concentration and with a warning to print.
An ingredient can be used as a colorant only if it appears on the list of Annex IV. <function plain_language.<locals>.name at 0x7f7804e04fe0> is on it with a warning to print.
The text of the annexes
UV filter allowed under conditions
This entry covers the same substance as ZINC OXIDE (same CAS number in the CosIng inventory): its conditions apply.
- Entry
- Annex VI, No 30a
- Substance
- Zinc oxide (nano)
- Glossary names
- ZINC OXIDE (NANO)
- CAS
- 1314-13-2
- EC
- 215-222-5
- Maximum concentration
- 25% - In case of combined use of zinc oxide and zinc oxide (nano), the sum shall not exceed the limit of 25%
- Warnings
- Not to be used in applications that may lead to exposure of the end-user's lungs by inhalation. Only nanomaterials having the following characteristics are allowed: — purity ≥ 96 %, with wurtzite crystalline structure and physical appearance as clusters that are rod-like, star-like and/or isometric shapes, with impurities consisting only of carbon dioxide and water, whilst any other impurities are less than 1 % in total, — median diameter of the particle number size distribution D50 (50 % of the number below this diameter) > 30 nm and D1 (1 % below this size) > 20 nm, — water solubility < 50 mg/L —uncoated, or coated with triethoxycaprylylsilane, dimethicone, dimethoxydiphenylsilanetriethoxycaprylylsilane cross- polymer, or octyl triethoxy silane.
Dates in the act (1)
- Entry into force on 12 May 2016
Excerpts from the English text published in the Official Journal. A date may concern only some substances of the act: the excerpt says so.
UV filter allowed under conditions
- Entry
- Annex VI, No 30
- Substance
- Zinc oxide
- Glossary names
- ZINC OXIDE
- CAS
- 1314-13-2
- EC
- 215-222-5
- Maximum concentration
- - 25% - In case of combined use of zinc oxide and zinc oxide (nano), the sum shall not exceed the limit of 25%
- Warnings
- Not to be used in applications that may lead to exposure of the end-user's lungs by inhalation.
Dates in the act (1)
- Entry into force on 12 May 2016
Excerpts from the English text published in the Official Journal. A date may concern only some substances of the act: the excerpt says so.
Colorant allowed under conditions
- Entry
- Annex IV, No 144
- Substance
- Zinc oxide
- Glossary names
- ZINC OXIDE
- CAS
- 1314-13-2
- EC
- 215-222-5
- Warnings
- Not to be used in applications that may lead to exposure of the end-user's lungs by inhalation.
Dates in the act (3)
- Entry into force on 24 August 2017
- Placing on the market from 24 February 2018
From 24 February 2018 only cosmetic products which comply with this Regulation shall be placed on the Union market
- Making available from 24 May 2018
From 24 May 2018 only cosmetic products which comply with this Regulation shall be made available on the Union market
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
- 38968
- CAS (according to CosIng)
- 1314-13-2
- EC (according to CosIng)
- 215-222-5
- Declared functions
- Antimicrobial, Bulking, Colorant, Oral care, Skin protecting, Light stabilizer, UV absorber, UV filter
- Wikidata
- Q190077
- ECHA InfoCard
- 100.013.839
The CAS number cited by CosIng also covers 1 other INCI name: it designates a family of substances, not this ingredient alone.
Classified hazard (CLP Regulation)
A classification describes an intrinsic hazard, not a risk: the risk depends on the dose, the form and the exposure.
zinc oxide
No harmonised CMR classification
- Hazard classes
- Aquatic Acute 1
Aquatic Chronic 1 - Hazard statements
- H400 H410
Elsewhere in the world
Information on other jurisdictions. What is covered, and what is not yet.
United Kingdom (Great Britain)
- UV filter allowed under conditions (Annex VI)
- Colorant allowed under conditions (Annex IV)
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
- Allowed colorant: 징크옥사이드 (Zinc Oxide) CI 77947 (Zinc Oxide)
색소 고시 별표 1 (allowed colorants), entry 90, page 4.
- Restricted: 징크옥사이드 (ZINC OXIDE)
별표 2, 자외선 차단성분 (UV filters), entry 26, page 16. Limit: 25%.
Australia
- Active ingredient allowed in sunscreens: ZINC OXIDE
Permissible Ingredients Determination (No. 3) 2026, sunscreen actives, entry 5277, page 29. Conditions (source text): Purpose: A, E, H | When used internally, zinc is a mandatory component of zinc oxide. | When for internal use and the maximum recommended daily dose is more than 25mg but no more than 50mg of zinc, the medicine requires the following warning statement on the medicine label: | - (ZINC) 'WARNING: May be dangerous if taken in large amounts or for a long period.' OR | -'WARNING: Contains zinc which may be dangerous if taken in large amounts or for a long period’ (or words to that effect). | When used in primary sunscreen products, the following warning statements are required on the label: | - (AVOID) 'Avoid prolonged exposure in the sun' (or words to this effect); and | - (SUNPRO) 'Wear protective clothing - hats and eyewear when exposed to the sun' (or words to this effect).
Brazil
- Allowed under conditions: Óxido de zinco ZINC OXIDE (ZINC OXIDE)
RDC 600/2022, Anexo (allowed UV filters), entry 26, page 3. Limit: 25%.
Recorded cosmetics that contain it
150 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.