★ Official records side by side

Where Korea, EU and U.S. cosmetic rules differ

Sunscreen filters →

Each regulator keeps its own lists, so the same ingredient can be banned in one place and unregulated in another. These lists come straight from our official records; conditional bans (for example “only as a hair-dye substance”) are not counted as bans here.

Search AI visibility

Banned in the EU, no specific FDA rule

The EU prohibits these in cosmetics (Annex II of Regulation (EC) 1223/2009). The FDA has no specific rule for them in cosmetics — which is not an approval: U.S. law still bans adulterated cosmetics, and some states have their own lists.

1,682 ingredients · 4 of them appear in K-beauty products we checked.

Showing the first 80 — those found in products first. Search any ingredient on the ingredients page.

Banned in Korea, not banned in the EU

On Korea's MFDS list of ingredients that may not be used in cosmetics, but not prohibited in the EU (they may still be restricted there).

2,179 ingredients · 0 of them appear in K-beauty products we checked.

Showing the first 80 — those found in products first. Search any ingredient on the ingredients page.

Banned in the EU, not banned in Korea

Prohibited in the EU but not on Korea's prohibited list (Korea may still restrict them).

1,198 ingredients · 4 of them appear in K-beauty products we checked.

Showing the first 80 — those found in products first. Search any ingredient on the ingredients page.

Banned or limited only in some U.S. states

No federal FDA rule, but state laws such as California's Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act ban or limit them. Each ingredient page names the state, the law and its start date.

111 ingredients · 7 of them appear in K-beauty products we checked.

Showing the first 80 — those found in products first. Search any ingredient on the ingredients page.

Sunscreen filters approved in Korea and the EU, not on the FDA list

See Sunscreen filters: Korea vs EU vs U.S. and the Korean sunscreens that use them.

Sources: EU CosIng (Annex II), Korea MFDS cosmetic ingredient restrictions, FDA (21 CFR 700, OTC monograph M020), U.S. state laws. Each ingredient page links the official record and shows the date we last checked it.

Frequently asked questions

Why are so many ingredients banned in the EU but not in the U.S.?

The EU keeps a long list of named prohibited substances (Annex II), including many drugs and industrial chemicals never used in cosmetics. The U.S. bans only a short list by name and otherwise relies on a general ban on adulterated products, so “no specific FDA rule” is not the same as “approved”.

Does “banned in the EU” mean a K-beauty product with that ingredient is unsafe?

No. It means the EU does not allow that ingredient in cosmetics sold there. Products made for other markets can follow other rules. We report the records; we don't rate safety.

What is a conditional ban?

Some EU and Korean entries ban a substance only in certain cases — for example as a hair-dye substance, in nano form, or unless purity conditions are met. We show those as “Prohibited only in certain forms or uses” and leave them out of these lists.

Where do these lists come from?

EU CosIng Annex II, Korea's MFDS cosmetic ingredient restrictions, FDA rules and U.S. state laws. Each ingredient page links its official record.