What does Resorcinol do?

Used in cosmetics as an antioxidant, a hair dye and a fragrance ingredient. Resorcinol is the phenol.

High concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is restricted in EU cosmetics.

beauty
food
industrial
pharma

Resorcinol

CAS 108-46-3 · 70/100 · High conf.

Concern score

70/100High concern based on regulatory listings.

High confidence

Resorcinol in plain language

What it is: Also known as Resorcin · 1,3-benzenediol · Benzene-1,3-diol · m-DIHYDROXYBENZENE · C.I. oxidation base 31 · 1,3-DIHYDROXYBENZENE
Show all 28 names
3-Hydroxyphenol · C.I. Developer 4 · C.I.-76505 · Developer O · Developer R · Developer RS · Dihydroxybenzol · Fouramine RS · Fourrine EW · Pelagol Grey RS · Pelagol RS · Resorcine · Resorcinol (CI 76505) · Resorzin · m-Benzenediol · m-Dioxybenzene · m-Hydroquinone · m-Hydroxyphenol · resorcinol (sara iii) · resorcinol (cercla) · resorcinol 9 · Resorcinum
What it does: Used in cosmetics as an antioxidant, a hair dye and a fragrance ingredient. Resorcinol is the phenol.
Antioxidant
Hair dyeing
Perfuming
Denaturant
Flavouring agent
Colourant
Is it a concern?: High concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is restricted in EU cosmetics.

Why it's flagged

1,3-benzenediol is restricted in cosmetic products under Annex III of the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009.

RestrictedEU EC — restricted

The score describes this ingredient's chemical identity — its hazard profile from published classifications and regulatory status — not the safety of any product it appears in.

Regulation

Restrictions first, then routine listings from published regulatory sources.

In marketed US drugs
EU Annex III — restricted
EU restricted in cosmetics

Recorded in these product areas

Found in consumer products
Beauty
Pharma
Food
Industrial

EUEC
Annex III of EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009: substances which cosmetic products must not contain except subject to the restrictions laid down. Product types: (a) Hair dye substance in oxidative hair dye products (b) Products intended for colouring eyelashes (c) Hair lotions and shampoos Maximum concentration: (c) 0,5% Other conditions: (For (a) and (b): After mixing under oxidative conditions the maximum concentration applied to hair or eyeslashes must not exceed 1,25 % (b) Professional use only Conditions of use and warnings: (a) To be printed on the label: The mixing ratio. “ Hair colorants 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…
restricted
View source →

EUEFSAEFSA opinion3 entries
- Scientific Opinion on the safety and efficacy of phenol derivatives containing ring-alkyl, ring-alkoxy and side-chains with an oxygenated functional group (chemical group 25) when used as flavourings for all species (EFSA FEEDAP)Source →
- Flavouring Group Evaluation 58 (FGE.58): Consideration of phenol derivatives evaluated by JECFA (55th meeting) structurally related to ring substituted phenolic substances evaluated by EFSA in FGE.22 (2006) (Commission Regulation (EC) No 1565/2000 of 18 July 2000). Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in contact with Food (AFC) on a request from the Commission (EFSA AFC)Source →
- Scientific Opinion on the use of Resorcinol as a food additive (EFSA ANS)Source →
EUCosIngActive2 entries
- Resorcinol is the phenol that conforms to the formula Restriction: III/22Source →
- Cosmetics Regulation annex III / ref 22.Source →
GLOBALJECFAEvaluatedJECFA evaluation record.
- JECFA evaluation record.Source →
GLOBALJECFANo safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agentJECFA evaluation lists ADI No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent. Functional class: flavouring agent.
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent. Functional class: flavouring agent.Source →
USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 1369 composition records across product categories including Home maintenance, Raw materials, Construction. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Antioxidant, Fragrance, Dye.
- EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 1369 composition records across product categories including Home maintenance, Raw materials, Construction. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Antioxidant, Fragrance, Dye.Source →
USFDAmarketed drug occurrenceFDA NDC lists this ingredient in 26 active drug products and 28 total products.
- FDA NDC lists this ingredient in 26 active drug products and 28 total products.Source →
USFDAlisted in openFDA substanceopenFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.
- openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.Source →

Expert safety opinions

Independent scientific assessments cited by the records we hold, with the year and link where the record gives one.

SCCS
EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety
No SCCS opinion on file.
CIR
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (US expert panel)
No CIR safety assessment on file.
EFSA
European Food Safety Authority
- Scientific Opinion on the safety and efficacy of phenol derivatives containing ring-alkyl, ring-alkoxy and side-chains with an oxygenated functional group (chemical group 25) when used as flavourings for all species (EFSA FEEDAP)
  2012 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
- Flavouring Group Evaluation 58 (FGE.58): Consideration of phenol derivatives evaluated by JECFA (55th meeting) structurally related to ring substituted phenolic substances evaluated by EFSA in FGE.22 (2006) (Commission Regulation (EC) No 1565/2000 of 18 July 2000). Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in contact with Food (AFC) on a request from the Commission (EFSA AFC)
  2008 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
- Scientific Opinion on the use of Resorcinol as a food additive (EFSA ANS)
  2010 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
JECFA
Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives
- JECFA evaluation record.
  Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent. Functional class: flavouring agent.
  Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →

Evidence & sources

No graded research studies for Resorcinol yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.

10 data sources

Where this comes from

CosIng
regulatory · updated 2026-09-23
Open →
EU CosIng Cosmetics Regulation Annexes
regulatory · updated 2022-11-11
Open →
EFSA OpenFoodTox
regulatory · updated 2026-10-04
Open →
EPA Chemical and Products Database
exposure · updated September 2013
Open →
EPA DSSTox Identifiers
chemistry · updated 2025-12-29
Open →
FDA National Drug Code Directory
regulatory · updated 2029-08-02
Open →
FDA GSRS UNII
registry · updated 2026-02-26
Open →
WHO JECFA Database
regulatory · updated 2026-10-04
Open →
openFDA Substance
registry · updated 2026-05-24
Open →
PubChem Live Enrichment
chemistry · updated 2026-05-17
Open →

Suitability

Context-specific fit derived from published classifications and the current ingredient evidence profile.

Food use

Food-use source coverage is present in the current record.

Good fit

The ingredient appears in food-oriented source coverage or allowed-use references, which makes food use easier to support than a context with no domain signal at all.

Fragrance avoidance

Not a strong fit for fragrance avoidance because it carries Fragrance.

Avoid

The ingredient itself is a fragrance-linked signal, so it is better treated as an avoid case when fragrance exposure is the main concern.

Where it has been recorded

How often EPA CPDat has listed Resorcinol in a product composition. These are source records, not Greenveil catalog products.

Source records

1,369

Named organisations

Home maintenanceRaw materialsConstructionLaboratory suppliesPersonal careVehicle

Typical roles

AntioxidantHair dyeingPerfumingDenaturantFlavouring agentColourant

See products using Resorcinol →

Catalog

Found in these products

Their ingredient lists include Resorcinol; each product's own rating depends on its whole formula, so it is shown on the product page, not here.

See all 141 →Find products without it →

Co-occurrence

Often appears with

Ingredients that frequently appear alongside Resorcinol in the catalog.