HC YELLOW NO. 3
HC YELLOW NO. 3 must not be used as a substance in hair dye products in the EU — Annex II, entry 1286 of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. The prohibition is limited to that use; the entry is quoted in full below.
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
N1-(Tris(hydroxymethyl)methyl-4-nitro-1,2-phenylenediamine; 2-[(2-amino-4-nitrophenyl)amino]-2-(hydroxymethyl)propane-1,3-diol
EU regulatory status
Annex of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009: II/1286
What entry II/1286 of the Regulation says
N1-(Tris(hydroxymethyl))methyl-4-nitro-1,2-phenylenediamine (HC Yellow No 3) and its salts, when used as a substance in hair dye products
Source: the European Commission's official CosIng database and Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on cosmetic products. How we assess ingredients — full methodology.
Last updated:
Functions in cosmetics
Frequently asked questions
Is HC YELLOW NO. 3 safe in cosmetics?
ingredientPage.faq.safetyAnswer.bannedConditional
In which annex of Regulation 1223/2009 does HC YELLOW NO. 3 fall?
HC YELLOW NO. 3 falls under reference II/1286 in the annexes of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products. An annex entry may name a substance directly or cover it as part of a broader category. The first part (Roman numeral) indicates the annex: II – prohibited substances, III – substances restricted by conditions, IV – permitted colorants, V – permitted preservatives, VI – permitted UV filters.
What functions does HC YELLOW NO. 3 perform in cosmetics?
According to the European Commission's CosIng database, HC YELLOW NO. 3 performs the following functions in cosmetics: HAIR DYEING. 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 HC YELLOW NO. 3?
Our copy of the EU Safety Gate database currently contains no alerts linking HC YELLOW NO. 3 to a cosmetic recall. The database is refreshed regularly from the European Commission's official Safety Gate system.