ZINC PYRITHIONE (pyrithione zinc)
Official label name (INCIInternational name of cosmetic ingredients: the one printed on the pack. name, EU glossary of cosmetic ingredient names), No 30346
- Prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II)
ZINC PYRITHIONE (pyrithione zinc): Prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II, entry 1670), under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. Good to know: classified toxic for reproduction (category 1B); 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
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).
Prohibition or serious classification Classified under the CLPEU regulation that classifies chemicals by their hazards (EC No 1272/2008). Regulation: reproductive toxicity, category 1B (Repr. 1B), a hazard to the unborn child.
For a question about your own situation, ask your doctor, midwife or pharmacist.
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
For informationOfficial information with no condition on a finished product: warning to read, irritation of the pure substance.
For information Classified under the CLP Regulation: serious eye damage, category 1 (Eye Dam. 1). This classification describes the pure substance; in a finished product it is far more diluted.
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:
Anti-seborrheic: helps control sebum production.
Anti-sebum.
Hair conditioning: leaves the hair easy to comb, supple, soft and shiny and/or imparts volume, lightness, gloss, etc.
Preservative: inhibits primarily the development of micro-organisms in cosmetics.
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 toxic for reproduction, category 1B (presumed effect, established mainly from animal studies).
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
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: Pyrithione de zinc (French), pyrithione zinc (English), Zink-Pyrithion (German), zinco piritione (Italian).
Wikidata: names of substances in six languages and taxa in which they occur (largely from the LOTUS database), retrieved 23 October 2026.
Present in 0.6% of recorded cosmetics (112 out of 20 266), mainly: anti-dandruff shampoos, shampoos, shampoos for oily hair.
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 ZINC PYRITHIONE to this Annex II entry.
- Entry
- Annex II, No 1670
- Substance
- Pyrithione zinc; (T-4)- bis[1-(hydroxy-.kappa.O)pyridine-2(1H)- thionato-.kappa.S]zinc
- CAS
- 13463-41-7
- EC
- 236-671-3
Dates in the act (2)
- Entry into force on 23 November 2021
- Application from 1 March 2022
It shall apply from 1 March 2022.
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 II, entry 1670. CosIng, Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (prohibited substances), retrieved 23 October 2026, source updated 13 October 2026.
Entry from Regulation (EU) 2021/1902, adopted on 29 October 2021.
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 1670: introduced or replaced by Regulation (EU) 2021/1902
Annex II, entry 1670: applies from this date
CLP classification “Repr. 1B” applicable at the latest from this date (Regulation (EU) 2020/1182)
Identity
- CosIng identifier
- 38974
- CAS (according to CosIng)
- 13463-41-7
- EC (according to CosIng)
- 236-671-3
- Declared functions
- Anti-seborrheic, Anti-sebum, Hair conditioning, Preservative
- Wikidata
- Q204602
- ECHA InfoCard
- 100.033.324
- InChIKey
- OTPSWLRZXRHDNX-UHFFFAOYSA-L
CosIng inventory. CosIng, inventory of cosmetic ingredients (INCI names, CAS, EC, functions), retrieved 21 October 2026.
Wikidata, items with a CosIng identifier (P3073), retrieved 22 October 2026.
Wikidata, PubChem and ECHAEuropean Chemicals Agency. links are published only when verified: same CosIng identifier, a single item, matching CAS number.
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.
pyrithione zinc; (T-4)-bis[1-(hydroxy-.kappa.O)pyridine-2(1H)-thionato-.kappa.S]zinc
Reproductive toxicity, category 1B (Repr. 1B)
- Hazard classes
- Reproductive toxicity, category 1B (Repr. 1B)
Acute toxicity, category 2 (Acute Tox. 2)
Acute toxicity, category 3 (Acute Tox. 3)
Specific target organ toxicity, repeated exposure, category 1 (STOT RE 1)
Serious eye damage, category 1 (Eye Dam. 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
- H360D H330 H301 H372 H318 H400 H410
Annex VI, entry 613-333-00-7, linked by CAS 13463-41-7. Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP), consolidated version, Annex VI table 3, retrieved 21 October 2026.
Entry introduced or replaced by Regulation (EU) 2020/1182, applicable at the latest from 1 March 2022.
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.
- 1 November 2024: Cosmetic set, Epionce, Ireland (“Serious risk”) alert
According to the list of ingredients, the product contains zinc pyrithione, which is prohibited in cosmetic products. Zinc pyrithione may damage the unborn child. 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 | No entry in the lists recorded | not cited |
| Japan | Allowed under conditions differs from the EU | not cited |
| South Korea | Restricted differs from the EU | 0.5 to 1% |
| 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) differs from the EU | 0.1 to 1% |
| Taiwan | Restricted (conditions or maximum concentration) differs from the EU | 0.1 to 1% |
| 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.
Japan
- Allowed under conditions: ピリチオン亜鉛 (Zinc pyrithione)
Annex 3-2 (allowed preservatives), entry 25, page 9.
Conditions, source text, in Japanese
[sub-list] 2 化粧品の種類により配合の制限がある成分(注1) | 100g中の最大配合量（ｇ） / 粘膜に使用されることがない化粧品のうち洗い流すもの: 0.10 | 100g中の最大配合量（ｇ） / 粘膜に使用されることがない化粧品のうち洗い流さないもの: 0.010 | 100g中の最大配合量（ｇ） / 粘膜に使用されることがある化粧品: 0.010 | (注1) 空欄は、配合してはならないことを示し、○印は、配合の上限がないことを示す。
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
- Restricted: 징크피리치온 (ZINC PYRITHIONE)
별표 2, 보존제 성분 (preservatives), entry 38, page 9. Limit: 사용 후 씻어내는 제품에 0.5%.
Conditions, source text, in Korean
비고: 기타 제품에는 사용금지
- Restricted: 징크피리치온 (ZINC PYRITHIONE)
별표 2, 기타 (other substances with limits), entry 63, page 40. Limit: 비듬 및 가려움을 덜어주고 씻어내는 제품(샴푸,린스) 및 탈모증상의 완화에 도움을 주는 화장품에 총 징크피리치온 으로서 1.0%.
Conditions, source text, in Korean
비고: 기타 제품에는 사용금지
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): Pyrithione Zinc Zinc pyrithione
Annex III (restricted substances), entry 101, page 140. Limit: 0.1% 1.0%.
Conditions, source text
Field of application and/or use: Leave-on hair products Rinse-off hair products | Other limitations and requirements: For purposes other than inhibiting the development of microorganisms in the product, this purpose has to be apparent from the presentation of the product As a preservative, see Annex VI, Part 1, No 8
- Allowed preservative: Zinc pyrithione(3) (CAS No 13463-41-7)
Annex VI (allowed preservatives), entry 8, page 269. Limit: Hair products; 1.0% Other products; 0.5%.
Conditions, source text
Limitations and requirements: Rinse off products only. Not for use in products for oral hygiene | Note (3): For non-preservative usage see Annex III. Part 1, entry 101
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): Pyrithione zinc 註 (Zinc pyrithione)
化粧品成分使用限制表 (restricted substances). Limit: 0.1%.
Conditions, source text, in Chinese
產品類型／使用範圍：非立即沖洗之髮用產品
- Allowed preservative: Pyrithione zinc(1) (Zinc pyrithione)
化粧品防腐劑成分名稱及使用限制表 (allowed preservatives). Limit: (a) 1% (b) 0.5%.
Conditions, source text, in Chinese
產品類型／使用範圍：(a)髮用產品 (b)其他產品(口腔製劑除外) | 限制規定：限使用於立即沖洗產品
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.
Recorded cosmetics that contain it
112 recorded products list it, according to Open Beauty Facts contributors. Records are dated: the formula may have changed. See the list (in French).
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.
Glossary: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1175. Page updated on 23 October 2026.