Ingredient Index

Is Resorcinol banned in Europe?

Restricted in EU

No: resorcinol is restricted, not banned, in the EU. It is permitted as a hair dye at capped concentrations under Annex III, and is under review as a suspected endocrine disruptor. The US allows it, including in some acne products.

CAS: 108-46-3 Also seen as: 1,3-Benzenediol, m-Dihydroxybenzene, Resorcin

What the EU does

Restricted, not banned. Resorcinol is a hair-dye coupler and antioxidant listed on Annex III of the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, meaning it is allowed only within limits. In oxidative (permanent) hair dyes it is capped at 1.25%, and in hair lotions and shampoos at 0.5%, with warning-label requirements. Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/2195 refined these hair-dye provisions.

It is also on the watch list. Resorcinol has been flagged as a suspected endocrine disruptor affecting thyroid function, and the EU has been evaluating whether to tighten further. That is the honest status: currently permitted under concentration caps, with regulatory scrutiny that could push the limits down or toward a ban later. As of now, "restricted" is the accurate word, and calling it "banned in Europe" overstates today's rules.

Citation Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex III (resorcinol: 1.25% oxidative hair dye, 0.5% hair lotions/shampoos); Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/2195; SCCS review

What the US does

Permitted, and used a little more broadly. In the US, resorcinol appears in hair dyes at similar working concentrations and, distinctively, in some over-the-counter acne and skin treatments, where it acts as a mild exfoliant and antiseptic (historically in products for acne and eczema). The FDA has not set the EU-style cosmetic caps.

So the split is one of degree. Both regions allow resorcinol; the EU has drawn explicit numerical limits and warning requirements around its hair-dye use and is scrutinizing its endocrine profile, while the US regulates it more loosely and even permits some topical drug uses. A person reacting to a hair dye in Europe is protected by a labeled 1.25% ceiling that a US product need not print.

Citation FDA: resorcinol permitted in cosmetics and certain OTC topical drug products

Products that commonly contain it

Resorcinol is mostly a hair-color building block, with some skin uses. Look for it in:

Permanent and demi-permanent hair dyes (as a coupler)
Some hair lotions and anti-dandruff or scalp products
Certain over-the-counter acne and skin treatments (more common in the US)
A few peeling and antiseptic preparations

What to look for on a label

What to look for:

"Resorcinol" or "1,3-benzenediol" on the ingredient list
EU oxidative hair dyes cap it at 1.25%, hair lotions and shampoos at 0.5%
EU dye packaging carries specific hair-colorant warnings
Its presence in a US acne product is a use the EU does not typically permit

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 resorcinol banned in Europe?

No. It is restricted, not banned. Under Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 it is allowed in oxidative hair dye up to 1.25% and in hair lotions/shampoos up to 0.5%, with warning labels.

Why is resorcinol under review?

It is a suspected endocrine disruptor affecting thyroid function, so the EU has been evaluating whether to tighten the limits or restrict it further.

Is resorcinol legal in the US?

Yes. It is permitted in hair dyes and in some over-the-counter acne and skin treatments, without the EU-style cosmetic concentration caps.

What is resorcinol used for?

Mainly as a coupler in permanent hair color; also in some scalp products and, in the US, certain topical acne treatments.

Related ingredients

Primary sources

Last reviewed July 6, 2026 · How we assign statuses