Food use
Food-use source coverage is present in the current record.
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.
- beauty
- industrial
Hexamidine
CAS 3811-75-4 · 20/100 · High conf.
Also registered as 2 other CAS numbers
659-40-5 · 93841-83-9
Concern score
20/100Minor concern based on regulatory listings.
High confidence
Hexamidine in plain language
On cosmetic ingredient lists it appears as “Hexamidine diisethionate”.
Also known as Hexamidine diisethionate · Hexamidine diparaben · Hexamidine paraben · 1,6-Bis(4-amidinophenoxy)-n-hexane · 1,6-Bis(4-amidinophenoxy)hexane · 1,6-di(para-amidinophenoxy)hexane
Show all 20 names
1,6-di-(4-amidinophenoxy)hexane · 4,4'-(1,6-Hexanediylbis(oxy))bis-benzenecarboximidamide · 4,4-Diamidino-1,6-diphenoxyhexane · Benzamidine, 4,4'-(hexamethylenedioxy)di · Benzenecarboximidamide, 4,4'-(1,6-hexanediylbis(oxy))bis- · D08AC04 · Desmodine · Hexamidina · Hexamidine (antiseptic) · Hexamidinum · R01AX07 · R02AA18 · S01AX08 · S03AA05
Used in cosmetics as a preservative, an antimicrobial and an anti-seborrheic. Hexamidine Diisethionate is the organic salt.
- Preservative
- Antimicrobial
- Anti-seborrheic
- Minor concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is listed for cosmetic use in the EU.
What the listings say
Permitted, with conditions — Hexamidine appears on published "allowed" regulatory lists rather than on a restriction list.
Benzenecarboximidamide, 4,4'-(1,6-hexanediylbis(oxy))bis-, and its salts (including isothionate and p-hydroxybenzoate) is listed in Annex V of the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 (preservatives allowed in cosmetic products).
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
No restrictions found. Hexamidine appears in these published regulatory listings.
- EU Annex V — permitted preservative
- EU permitted preservative
- Found in consumer products
- Industrial
EUCosIngActive4 entries
- Cosmetics Regulation annex V / ref 47.Source →
- Hexamidine is the organic compound that conforms to the formula: Restriction: V/47Source →
- Hexamidine Diisethionate is the organic salt that conforms to the formula: Restriction: V/47Source →
- Hexamidine Paraben is the Hexamidine salt of 4-Hydroxybenzoic Acid. It conforms to the formula: Restriction: V/47Source →
EUECallowed_listedAnnex V of EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009: preservatives allowed in cosmetic products. Maximum concentration: 0.1%
- Annex V of EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009: preservatives allowed in cosmetic products. Maximum concentration: 0.1%Source →
USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 0 composition records across product categories including unclassified products. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Preservative.
- EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 0 composition records across product categories including unclassified products. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Preservative.Source →
USFDAlisted in openFDA substanceopenFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.
- openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.Source →
Expert safety opinions
No expert opinion on file for Hexamidine. These are the independent scientific bodies that assess ingredients like this one; we show an opinion only when a record we hold cites it.
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.
Evidence & sources
No graded research studies for Hexamidine yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.
Where this comes from
- Open →
CosIng
regulatory · updated 2026-09-23
- Open →
EU CosIng Cosmetics Regulation Annexes
regulatory · updated 2010-10-25
- Open →
EPA Chemical and Products Database
exposure · updated 2020-08-31
- Open →
EPA DSSTox Identifiers
chemistry · updated 2025-12-29
- Open →
FDA GSRS UNII
registry · updated 2026-02-26
- Open →
openFDA Substance
registry · updated 2026-05-24
- Open →
PubChem Live Enrichment
chemistry · updated 2026-05-17
Suitability
Context-specific fit derived from published classifications and the current ingredient evidence profile.
Good fit
Fragrance avoidance
No fragrance-linked caution surfaced in the current profile.
This ingredient does not currently read as a fragrance-linked driver in the published evidence and hazard profile.
Where it has been recorded
How often EPA CPDat has listed Hexamidine in a product composition. These are source records, not Greenveil catalog products.
Named organisations
3
Typical roles
PreservativeAntimicrobialAnti-seborrheic
Found in these products
Cosmetic and personal-care products that list Hexamidine are shown first. Their ingredient lists include Hexamidine; each product's own rating depends on its whole formula, so it is shown on the product page, not here.
