Cosmetic ingredient search
2,385 regulated substances in Annexes II–VI · inventory of 33,617 INCI
EC data verified 44 minutes ago · dataset v1.0.1
Start typing to search the EU CosIng database.
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CosIng data is provided by the European Commission (Regulation EC 1223/2009). This tool is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
What is the CosIng database?
CosIng (Cosmetic Ingredient Database) is the European Commission's official inventory of substances used in cosmetic products, built to support Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. It lists every substance regulated under Annexes II to VI — prohibited, restricted, permitted colorants, preservatives and UV filters — alongside the wider INCI inventory of ingredient names with no direct regulatory entry.
BD-API keeps its own copy of CosIng in sync with the Commission's source and cross-references every entry to its Annex status, so a search here returns the regulatory picture directly instead of a raw spreadsheet row. The freshness badge above states the exact date of the last verified check against the official source — that's the number to trust, not a fixed promise.
How to search
- By INCI name — the standard cosmetic ingredient name, e.g. "Phenoxyethanol" or "Titanium Dioxide".
- By CAS number — the chemical registry number, e.g. 122-99-6 (format XXXXXXX-XX-X).
- By chemical name — when you don't know the INCI name, the underlying chemical name often matches too.
Common names in other languages also match some entries — searching "manzanilla" (Spanish for chamomile) finds the matching INCI. Coverage is uneven across languages today, so treat it as a bonus, not a guaranteed multi-language search.
Frequently asked questions
What do Prohibited, Restricted and Permitted mean?+
These are the three states an Annex entry can have. Prohibited (Annex II) substances cannot be used in cosmetic products at all. Restricted (Annex III) substances are allowed only under specific conditions — maximum concentration, product type or wording requirements. Permitted substances belong to the cosmetic-function annexes (colorants, preservatives, UV filters — Annexes IV–VI) and are allowed when used within their listed conditions.
What is a CAS number?+
A CAS Registry Number is a unique numeric identifier assigned by the Chemical Abstracts Service to a specific chemical substance, in the format XXXXXXX-XX-X (for example 122-99-6 for Phenoxyethanol). It is the most precise way to search when an INCI name has variants or synonyms.
How often is the data updated?+
We check the European Commission’s CosIng source on a regular schedule and rebuild our copy whenever it changes. Rather than promise a fixed cadence, the freshness badge above this search shows the exact date of the last verified check — that is the number to trust.
What is the difference between the INCI inventory and regulated substances?+
The INCI inventory covers every cosmetic ingredient name recognised in the EU, whether or not it has its own entry in Annexes II–VI. A "regulated substance" specifically has an Annex entry — a prohibition, a restriction or a permitted-use condition. Most INCI names have no Annex entry at all; that is expected, not an error.
Can I use this data in my own software?+
Yes — that is what the BD-API service is for. It distributes signed CosIng updates (SQL patches, snapshots and webhook notifications) to client installations, so you do not have to parse the Commission’s raw files yourself. See the BD-API service →