PHENOL

Frequently asked questions

• Is PHENOL safe in cosmetics?

  PHENOL is banned in the EU under Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and may not be used in cosmetics placed on the EU market. Cosmetics containing this substance are withdrawn by national inspectorates and reported to the EU Safety Gate database.

• In which annex of Regulation 1223/2009 is PHENOL listed?

  PHENOL is listed under reference II/1175 in the annexes of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products. 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 PHENOL perform in cosmetics?

  According to the European Commission's CosIng database, PHENOL performs the following functions in cosmetics: ANTIMICROBIAL, DENATURANT, DEODORANT, FRAGRANCE, ORAL CARE, PRESERVATIVE. 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 PHENOL?

  We found 5 recent alerts in the EU Safety Gate database in which PHENOL 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.