Is salicylic acid restricted in cosmetics?
Direct answer
Yes. Annex III, entry 98, governs salicylic acid for non-preservative purposes; Annex V, entry 3, governs preservation at 0.5% expressed as acid. Conditions depend on the product and exact substance. [eu-850] [eu-1966] [correction]
Regulatory status
Permitted under conditions Regulation 2019/1966, applicable to these amendments from 1 May 2020, retained restricted uses following the category 2 CMRCarcinogenic, mutagenic (damages DNA) or toxic for reproduction. classification. The 2021 amendment to III/98 completes the product categories. [eu-1966] [eu-850]
Restrictions and conditions of use
Annex III, No 98 : Non-preservative use: 3.0% in rinse-off hair products; 2.0% in other products except the following category; 0.5% in body lotions, eye shadows, mascaras, eyeliners, lipsticks and roll-on deodorants. These levels include every use of salicylic acid. Not in preparations for children under three, oral products or applications exposing lungs by inhalation. The purpose must be apparent from the presentation. Warning “Not to be used for children under 3 years of age” on products that might be used for them. [eu-850]
Annex V, No 3 : Preservation: salicylic acid and salts, maximum 0.5% as acid. For the acid: not in products for children under three, oral products or applications with lung exposure by inhalation; warning on products that might be used for children under three. For salts: not in products for children under three except shampoos; warning on products that might be used for them and remain in prolonged skin contact. [correction]
Dated primary sources
Règlement (UE) 2021/850, III/98. Text : 2021-05-26. Consulted : 2026-10-31. Annexe, point 2 a), III/98 ; tableau anglais téléchargé confronté au JO espagnol, page 6..
The 2021 amendment adds the 0.5% category and specifies that levels include all uses of the acid.
‘98 Benzoic acid, 2-hydroxy- ( 1 ) Salicylic acid 69-72-7 200-712-3 (a) Rinse-off hair products (b) Other products except body lotion, eye shadow, mascara, eyeliner, lipstick, roll-on deodorant (c) Body lotion, eye shadow, mascara, eyeliner, lipstick, roll-on deodorant (a) 3,0 % (b) 2,0 % (c) 0,5 % (a) (b) (c) Not to be used in preparations for children under 3 years of age. Not to be used in applications that may lead to exposure of the end-user’s lungs by inhalation. Not to be used in oral products. For purposes other than inhibiting the development of micro-organisms in the product. This purpose has to be apparent from the presentation of the product. These levels are inclusive of any use of salicylic acid. (a) (b) (c) Not to be used for children under 3 years of age ( 2 ) Règlement (UE) 2019/1966. Text : 2019-11-27. Consulted : 2026-10-31. Article 3 ; considérants 5 et 12 ; annexe I, avant rectification..
The text applies from 1 May 2020. The corrigendum separates the acid and its salts: the shampoo exception concerns salts.
El artículo 1 será de aplicación a partir del 1 de mayo de 2020.Rectificatif au règlement (UE) 2019/1966, JO du 13 décembre 2019. Text : 2019-12-13. Consulted : 2026-10-31. V/3, cellules acide et sels, avertissements et notes (4) et (5), extraits distincts..
The text applies from 1 May 2020. The corrigendum separates the acid and its salts: the shampoo exception concerns salts.
0,5 % (acid)
Not to be used in products for children under 3 years of age.
Not to be used in oral products.
Not to be used in applications that may lead to exposure of the end-user’s lungs by inhalation.
Not to be used in products for children under 3 years of age, except for shampoos.
Solely for products which might be used for children under 3 years of age and which remain in prolonged contact with the skin.Rectificatif au règlement (UE) 2019/1966, JO du 13 décembre 2019
Limits of the data
The III/98 percentages include all uses of the acid in the product. The V/3 shampoo exception concerns salts, not the acid; these substances are not interchangeable when reading the entry. [eu-850] [eu-1966] [correction]
Last verification
2026-10-31