Is cyclotetrasiloxane (D4) banned in cosmetics?
Yes, in the EU: Annex II lists cyclotetrasiloxane (D4) as a prohibited substance (entry 1388). California, the EU and FDA's named list, read 23 October 2026, with EWG Skin Deep's score.
SlipperSkin finding
Read on 23 October 2026, cyclotetrasiloxane (D4) is prohibited in the EU (Annex II) and will be banned in California from 2027; EWG Skin Deep scores it 10 out of 10.
Is cyclotetrasiloxane (D4) banned in cosmetics?
Yes, in the EU: Annex II lists cyclotetrasiloxane (D4) as a prohibited substance (entry 1388). California will ban it from 1 January 2027 (list (b)(4)). FDA's named list does not include it. EWG Skin Deep scores it 10 out of 10 (data: robust).
What does the EU list say about cyclotetrasiloxane (D4)?
Annex II is the EU's list of prohibited substances. The entries for cyclotetrasiloxane (D4) are in the table below, as printed in the regulation consolidated on 1 May 2026.
| Where | Annex | Cap, threshold and product type | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annex II, entry 1388 as printed: Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane | Prohibited substances | prohibited all cosmetic products | No condition printed in the entry. |
Is cyclotetrasiloxane (D4) on California's banned list?
It will be. California's Health and Safety Code section 108980 bans cyclotetrasiloxane (D4) from 1 January 2027 (list (b)(4)), when intentionally added.
What does EWG Skin Deep say about cyclotetrasiloxane (D4)?
EWG’s page gives cyclotetrasiloxane (D4) a hazard score of 10 out of 10 with robust data. Its concerns line reads, in part: Use restrictions (high), Endocrine disruption (moderate), Persistence and bioaccumulation (moderate), Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate), and Ecotoxicology (low). The use-restrictions concern is high. The score is a hazard score on EWG's own scale; it is not a regulatory status.
Where is this read from?
- EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009, consolidated 1 May 2026 (EUR-Lex)
- California Health and Safety Code section 108980
- FDA: prohibited and restricted ingredients in cosmetics
- EWG Skin Deep: Cyclotetrasiloxane (D4)
- PubChem: compound 11169 (CAS 556-67-2)
More ingredient files: Diethylhexyl phthalate · Paraformaldehyde · Methylene glycol · all 66 ingredient files
Method: California's section 108980 and the EU's annexes were read in Chrome on 23 October 2026; EU lookups are by CAS number (556-67-2) across Annexes II, III, V and VI; EWG's page was kept only if its name matched exactly; the PubChem link is the compound the CAS number resolves to. Statutes change and EWG revises pages, nothing here is a safety verdict, and an ingredient that is not on a list is not endorsed.