Ingredient Index · E218

Is Methylparaben banned in Europe?

Legal in both

No: methylparaben is not banned in Europe. It is the most widely used and best-studied paraben, permitted in EU cosmetics up to 0.4% on its own (0.8% combined with ethylparaben), and permitted in the US with no specific limit.

E-number: E218CAS: 99-76-3 Also seen as: Methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, E218, Nipagin M, Methyl paraben

What the EU does

Permitted, not banned. When people say "parabens are banned in Europe," methylparaben is the clearest counterexample. It sits on Annex V of the Cosmetics Regulation, the list of allowed preservatives, capped at 0.4% as a single ester or 0.8% when mixed with other permitted parabens. It came through the EU's 2014 paraben review untouched, because the short-chain parabens (methyl and ethyl) have the deepest safety record and the least concern.

This is the heart of the paraben myth-bust. The EU did act on parabens in 2014, but it did so selectively: it banned five of the longer and branched-chain ones, capped two more, and left methylparaben and ethylparaben broadly permitted. The Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has repeatedly judged methylparaben safe at the allowed levels. So the blanket claim collapses on contact with the actual law.

Citation Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex V (entry for parabens, 0.4% single / 0.8% combined); SCCS opinions on parabens

What the US does

Permitted, with no specific concentration limit. The FDA allows methylparaben in cosmetics and, as E218, in food. The agency's standing position is that parabens are safe as used, while it continues to monitor the science. There is no US cap equivalent to the EU's 0.4% line.

So methylparaben is one of the genuinely uncontroversial cases: both regions permit it, and the only real difference is that the EU writes down a number and the US does not. If you are scanning a label hoping to confirm a "banned in Europe" rumor, methylparaben is not your culprit.

Citation FDA: parabens in cosmetics (no specific limit); 21 CFR 184.1490 (methylparaben, food GRAS)

Products that commonly contain it

Methylparaben is a broad-spectrum preservative that stops mold and bacteria in water-based products. You will find it in:

Lotions, moisturizers, and face creams
Shampoos, conditioners, and cleansers
Foundations and many color cosmetics
Some processed foods and medicines (as E218)

What to look for on a label

On an INCI or ingredient list, look for:

"Methylparaben" or "Methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate"
"E218" on food labels
Often listed alongside ethylparaben or propylparaben in a preservative blend
Its presence does not mean a product is non-compliant in the EU; methylparaben is allowed

Or skip the squinting: paste the whole ingredient list into our checker and it flags everything in our database. Nothing you paste leaves your browser.

Frequently asked questions

Is methylparaben banned in Europe?

No. Methylparaben is a permitted cosmetic preservative under Annex V of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, capped at 0.4% on its own or 0.8% combined with other allowed parabens.

Why do people think all parabens are banned in Europe?

The EU banned five parabens in 2014 (isopropyl-, isobutyl-, phenyl-, benzyl-, pentylparaben) and capped two more. Methylparaben and ethylparaben were left broadly permitted, so the "all banned" claim is wrong.

Is methylparaben safe?

EU and US regulators consider methylparaben safe at the levels allowed. It is the shortest-chain paraben and carries the least endocrine concern of the group.

Is methylparaben allowed in the United States?

Yes. The FDA permits it in cosmetics with no specific concentration limit, and it is recognized as safe for food use as E218.

Related ingredients

Primary sources

Last reviewed June 30, 2026 · How we assign statuses