Ingredient file · Restricted

Is p-phenylenediamine banned or restricted in cosmetics?

Q: What does EWG Skin Deep say about p-phenylenediamine?

EWG Skin Deep scores p-phenylenediamine 10 out of 10 with fair data, and lists use restrictions as high. Read 23 October 2026.

Restricted, not banned: the EU permits p-phenylenediamine within limits (Annex III, entry 8a; Annex III, entry 8b), with conditions by product type. 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, p-phenylenediamine is restricted by the EU (Annex III) and not listed in California; EWG Skin Deep scores it 10 out of 10.

From the California statute, the EU Cosmetics Regulation as consolidated on 1 May 2026, FDA’s page and EWG’s ingredient page, read 23 October 2026. We report what each says; we do not rate the ingredient.

Is p-phenylenediamine banned in cosmetics?

Restricted, not banned: the EU permits p-phenylenediamine within limits (Annex III, entry 8a; Annex III, entry 8b), with conditions by product type. California does not list it. FDA's named list does not include it. EWG Skin Deep scores it 10 out of 10 (data: fair).

p-Phenylenediamine: where it standsread 23 October 2026

Filled red marks a ban, blue a restriction, pale an ingredient that list does not name. FDA's page names 11 entries and none is p-phenylenediamine. The EWG row marks its score; a bar shows a range.

What are the EU limits for p-phenylenediamine?

The EU does not ban p-phenylenediamine; it caps it by product type. The caps below are the annex cells as printed on the EUR-Lex consolidated text of 1 May 2026, with the decimal comma written as a point.

p-Phenylenediamine in the EU Cosmetics Regulation, found by CAS number 106-50-3
Where	Annex	Cap, threshold and product type	Condition
Annex III, entry 8a as printed: p-Phenylenediamine and its salts	Restricted substances	no concentration cap printed Hair dye substance in oxidative hair dye products	(a) General use (a) To be printed on the label: The mixing ratio. ‘Hair colourants can cause severe allergic reactions. Read and follow instructions. This product is not intended for use on persons under the age of 16. Temporary “black henna” tattoos may increase your risk of allergy. Do not colour your hair if: - you have a rash on your face or sensitive, irritated and damaged scalp, - you have ever experienced any
Annex III, entry 8b as printed: p-Phenylenediamine and its salts	Restricted substances	no concentration cap printed Products intended for colouring eyelashes	After mixing under oxidative conditions the maximum concentration applied to eyelashes must not exceed 2 % calculated as free base For professional use only. To be printed on the label: The mixing ratio. ‘For professional use only. This product can cause severe allergic reactions. Read and follow instructions. This product is not intended for use on persons under the age of 16. Temporary “black henna” tattoos may inc

Is p-phenylenediamine on California's banned list?

No. It is on neither list (a), in force since 1 January 2025, nor list (b), in force from 1 January 2027, of California's Health and Safety Code section 108980.

What does EWG Skin Deep say about p-phenylenediamine?

EWG’s page gives p-phenylenediamine a hazard score of 10 out of 10 with fair data. Its concerns line reads, in part: Enhanced skin absorption, Use restrictions (high), Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (high), Ecotoxicology (low), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high), and Occupational hazards (moderate). 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?

More ingredient files: Benzyl alcohol · Sodium benzoate · Potassium sorbate · 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 (106-50-3) 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.