BORIC ACID
BORIC ACID is banned in cosmetics within the EU under Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. Review the regulatory details and recent Safety Gate alerts.
Regulatory data checked on 2026-09-05. The legal status follows Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and its annexes; the substance is identified from the European Commission's CosIng database.
About the ingredient
Boric acid
Functions in cosmetics
Frequently asked questions
Is BORIC ACID safe in cosmetics?
BORIC ACID falls under Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, and under Article 14 a cosmetic product placed on the EU market must not contain a substance prohibited by that annex. This is a legal status, not a toxicity finding about any particular product. Where a non-compliant product is found, the competent authority requires the responsible person to bring it into conformity, withdraw it from the market or recall it, proportionate to the risk; products presenting a serious risk are also notified through the EU Safety Gate.
What functions does BORIC ACID perform in cosmetics?
According to the European Commission's CosIng database, BORIC ACID performs the following functions in cosmetics: ANTIMICROBIAL, BUFFERING, DENATURANT. Functions are defined in the CosIng glossary and describe the technological role of a substance in the finished product.
Are there Safety Gate alerts concerning BORIC ACID?
We found 1 recent alerts in the EU Safety Gate database in which BORIC ACID appears in the risk description or on the ingredient list of a recalled cosmetic. The full list and details of each alert are below in the Safety Gate alerts section.
Safety Gate alerts mentioning this ingredient
We found 1 recent EU Safety Gate alerts that mention BORIC ACID in the hazard description or ingredient list.