Cosmetics: what the European Union regulates and the United Kingdom does not
Since Brexit, Great Britain has amended the annexes of the cosmetic regulation it retained independently. 81 entries of Union law have no equivalent in the UK annexes in force, most often because they come from European acts adopted since 2021.
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.
CosIng, Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (prohibited substances), retrieved 23 October 2026, source updated 13 October 2026.
Prohibited in the Union, without an equivalent entry in the United Kingdom (20)
- Distillates (coal tar), pitch, pyrene fraction entry 38, règlement (CE) n° 1223/2009
- Distillates (coal tar), pitch entry 38, règlement (CE) n° 1223/2009
- Sodium N-(hydroxymethyl)glycinate; [formaldehyde released from sodium N-(hydroxymethyl)glycinate] if the maximum theoretical concentration of releasable formaldehyde, irrespective of the source, in the mixture as placed on the market is ≥ 0,1 % w/w entry 1669, règlement (UE) 2021/1902
- Azamethiphos (ISO); S-[(6-chloro-2-oxooxazolo[4,5-b]pyridin-3(2H)-yl)methyl] O,O-dimethyl thiophosphate entry 1685, règlement (UE) 2022/1531
- Pentapotassium 2,2’,2’’,2’’’,2’’’’-(ethane-1,2-diylnitrilo)pentaacetate entry 1719, règlement (UE) 2023/1490
- N-carboxymethyliminobis(ethylenenitrilo)tetra(acetic acid); Pentetic Acid (INCIInternational name of cosmetic ingredients: the one printed on the pack.) entry 1720, règlement (UE) 2023/1490
- Pentasodium (carboxylatomethyl)iminobis(ethylenenitrilo)tetraacetate; Pentasodium Pentetate (INCI) entry 1721, règlement (UE) 2023/1490
- Styrene/Acrylates copolymer (nano) [INCI] Sodium Styrene/Acrylates copolymer (nano) [INCI] entry 1725, règlement (UE) 2024/858
- Copper (nano) [INCI] Colloidal Copper (nano) [INCI] entry 1726, règlement (UE) 2024/858
- Silver (nano) [1 nm < particle diameter ≤ 100 nm] Silver (massive) [particle diameter ≥ 1 mm] entry 1727, règlement (UE) 2026/78
- Gold (nano) [INCI], Colloidal Gold (nano) [INCI] [1] Gold Thioethylamino Hyaluronic Acid (nano) [INCI] [2] Acetyl heptapeptide-9 Colloidal gold (nano) [INCI] [3] entry 1728, règlement (UE) 2024/858
- Platinum (nano) [INCI], Colloidal Platinum (nano) [INCI] [1] Acetyl tetrapeptide-17 Colloidal Platinum (nano) [INCI] [2] entry 1729, règlement (UE) 2024/858
- difenoconazole (ISO); 1-({2-[2-chloro-4-(4-chlorophenoxy)phenyl]-4-methyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-yl}methyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole; 3-chloro-4-[(2RS,4RS;2RS,4SR)-4-methyl-2-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-ylmethyl)-1,3-dioxolan-2-yl]phenyl 4-chlorophenyl ether entry 1748, règlement (UE) 2025/877
- reaction mass of 1,3-dioxan-5-ol and 1,3-dioxolan-4-ylmethanol entry 1753, règlement (UE) 2026/78
- Sodium 3-(allyloxy)-2-hydroxypropanesulphonate entry 1759, règlement (UE) 2026/78
- Fenpropidin (ISO); (R,S)-1-[3-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-2-methylpropyl]piperidine entry 1761, règlement (UE) 2026/78
- N,N’-methylenediacrylamide entry 1762, règlement (UE) 2026/78
- tert-butyl 2-ethylperoxyhexanoate entry 1763, règlement (UE) 2026/78
- Pyraclostrobin (ISO); methyl N-(2-{[1-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl]oxymethyl}phenyl) N-methoxy carbamate entry 1766, règlement (UE) 2026/78
- Triphenyl Phosphate entry 1767, règlement (UE) 2026/909
Restricted in the Union, without an equivalent entry in the United Kingdom (60)
- Diaminophenols (1) entry 10, règlement (CE) n° 1223/2009
- TITANIUM DIOXIDE entry 321, règlement (UE) 2021/850
- DIHYDROXYACETONE entry 322, règlement (UE) 2021/1099
- Acid Yellow 3 entry 326, règlement (UE) 2022/2195
- Acetyl Cedrene entry 327, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Amyl Salicylate entry 328, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Anethole entry 329, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Benzaldehyde entry 330, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Camphor entry 331, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Beta- Caryophyllene entry 332, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Carvone entry 333, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Dimethyl Phenethyl Acetate entry 334, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Hexadecanolactone entry 335, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Hexamethylindanopyran entry 336, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Linalyl Acetate entry 337, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Menthol entry 338, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Trimethylcyclopentenyl Methylisopentenol entry 339, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Salicylaldehyde entry 340, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Santalol entry 341, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Sclareol entry 342, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Terpineol entry 343, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Tetramethyl acetyloctahydronaphthalenes entry 344, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Trimethylbenzenepropanol entry 345, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Vanillin entry 346, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Cananga Odorata Flower Extract; Cananga Odorata Flower Oil entry 347, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Cinnamomum Cassia Leaf Oil entry 348, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Oil entry 349, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil; Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Oil entry 350, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Citrus Aurantium Amara Peel Oil; Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil; Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil entry 351, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil entry 352, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Citrus Limon Peel Oil entry 353, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil; Cymbopogon Flexuosus Oil; Cymbopogon Citratus Leaf Oil entry 354, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil; Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf/Twig Oil entry 355, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil; Eugenia Caryophyllus Flower Oil; Eugenia Caryophyllus Stem oil; Eugenia Caryophyllus Bud oil entry 356, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Jasminum Grandiflorum Flower Extract; Jasminum Officinale Oil; Jasminum Officinale Flower Extract entry 357, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Juniperus Virginiana Oil; Juniperus Virginiana Wood Oil entry 358, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Laurus Nobilis Leaf Oil entry 359, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Lavandula Hybrida Oil; Lavandula Hybrida Extract; Lavandula Hybrida Flower Extract; Lavandula Intermedia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract; Lavandula Intermedia Flower/Leaf/Stem Oil; Lavandula Intermedia Oil; Lavandula Angustifolia Oil; Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract entry 360, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Mentha Piperita Oil entry 361, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil entry 362, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Narcissus Poeticus Extract; Narcissus Pseudonarcissus Flower Extract; Narcissus Jonquilla Extract, Narcissus Tazetta Extract entry 363, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil entry 364, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Pogostemon Cablin Oil entry 365, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Rosa Damascena Flower Oil; Rosa Damascena Flower Extract; Rosa Alba Flower Oil; Rosa Alba Flower Extract; Rosa Canina Flower Oil; Rosa Centifolia Flower Oil; Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract; Rosa Gallica Flower Oil; Rosa Moschata Flower Oil; Rosa Rugosa Flower Oil entry 366, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Santalum Album Oil entry 367, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Isoeugenyl Acetate entry 370, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Pinene entry 371, règlement (UE) 2023/1545
- Hydroxyapatite (nano) entry 372, règlement (UE) 2024/858
- Genistein entry 373, règlement (UE) 2024/996
- Daidzein entry 374, règlement (UE) 2024/996
- Retinol; Retinyl Acetate; Retinyl Palmitate entry 376, règlement (UE) 2024/996
- Alpha-Arbutin entry 377, règlement (UE) 2024/996
- Arbutin entry 378, règlement (UE) 2024/996
- Silver entry 379, règlement (UE) 2026/78
- Aluminium-containing ingredients with the exception of those listed in entries 34, 50, 189, 190 and 192 of Annex III, in entries 117, 118, 119, 121, 131, 150 of Annex IV, in entry 61 in Annex V, and entry 27a of Annex VI. entry 381, règlement (UE) 2026/909
- Acetylated Vetiveria Zizanioides Root Extract; Acetylated Vetiveria Zizanioides Root Oil entry 382, règlement (UE) 2026/909
- HC Blue No 18 entry 383, règlement (UE) 2026/909
- Hydroxypropyl-p-phenylenediamine and Hydroxypropyl-p-phenylenediamine 2HCl entry 384, règlement (UE) 2026/909
- HC Yellow No 16 entry 385, règlement (UE) 2026/909
- HC Red No 18 entry 386, règlement (UE) 2026/909
Preservatives (1)
- Ammonium Silver Zinc Aluminium Silicate entry 61, règlement (UE) 2026/909
UK law entries without a Union equivalent (3)
Most often, a substance the Union has since prohibited (Annex II) and which the United Kingdom still controls through a restriction (Annex III).
- Salts of 2-ethylhexanoic acid Annex II, entry 1738 of UK law
- Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde Annex III, entry 79 of UK law
- Trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide Annex III, entry 311 of UK law
A UK entry and an EU entry are matched when they share the same annex, number and a CAS or similar name. Conditions of use are not compared.