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  • industrial

Lawsone

CAS 1985594-94-2

Also registered as 2 other CAS numbers

83-72-7 · 84988-66-9

Concern score

Not assessed — no hazard data yet.

Lawsone in plain language

What it is

On cosmetic ingredient lists it appears as “Henna”.

Also known as Henna · Lawsonia inermis cera · Lawsonia inermis extract · Lawsonia inermis flower/fruit/leaf extract · Lawsonia inermis leaf extract · Lawsonia inermis wax

Show all 25 names

2-Hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone · 2-HYDROXY-1,4-NAPTHOQUINONE · 2-Hydroxynaphthalene-1,4-dione · C.I. natural orange 6 · Henna (dye) · Q 0 · 1,4-Dihydro-1,4-dioxo-2-hydroxynaphthalene · 1,4-Naphthalenedione, 2-hydroxy- · 1,4-Naphthoquinone, 2-hydroxy- · 2-Hydroxy-1,4-naphthalenedione · 2-Hydroxy-1,4-naphthochinon · 2-Hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (CI 75480) · 2-Hydroxynaphthoquinone · 2-hidroxi-1,4-naftoquinona · 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphtoquinone · Imexine og · Lawsonia inermis (henna) extract · Lawsonia inermis (henna) flower/fruit/leaf extract · Lawsonia inermis (henna) leaf extract

What it does

Used in cosmetics as an antimicrobial, an antioxidant and a skin-conditioning agent. Lawsonia Inermis Cera is the wax obtained from the leaves of the Henna, Lawsonia inermis L., Lythraceae.

  • Antimicrobial
  • Antioxidant
  • Skin conditioning
  • Hair conditioning
  • Hair dyeing
  • Bulking
Is it a concern?
We haven't assessed a concern score for this ingredient yet. It is listed for cosmetic use in the EU.

Regulation

No restrictions found. Lawsone appears in these published regulatory listings.

Recorded in these product areas

  • Found in consumer products
  • Industrial
  • EUCosIngActive7 entries
    • Lawsonia inermis extractSource →
    • Listed in CosIng inventory for cosmetic use.Source →
    • Lawsonia Inermis Cera is the wax obtained from the leaves of the Henna, Lawsonia inermis L., LythraceaeSource →
    • Lawsonia Inermis Extract is an extract of the dried flowers, fruit and leaves of the Henna, Lawsonia inermis L., LythraceaeSource →
    • Lawsonia Inermis Flower/Fruit/Leaf Extract is an extract of the dried flowers, fruit and leaves of the Henna, Lawsonia inermis L., LythraceaeSource →
    • Lawsonia Inermis Leaf Extract is the extract of the leaves of the Henna, Lawsonia inermis L., LythraceaeSource →
    • Lawsonia Inermis (Henna) Wax is the wax obtained from the leaf of the henna, Lawsonia inermis, Lythraceae.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 Dye.
    • EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 0 composition records across product categories including unclassified products. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Dye.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 Lawsone. 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 Lawsone yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.

5 data sources

Where this comes from

  • CosIng

    regulatory · updated 2026-09-23

    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 →

Suitability

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

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 Lawsone in a product composition. These are source records, not Greenveil catalog products.

Named organisations

3

Typical roles

AntimicrobialAntioxidantSkin conditioningHair conditioningHair dyeingBulking
See products using Lawsone →

Catalog

Found in these products

Cosmetic and personal-care products that list Lawsone are shown first. Their ingredient lists include Lawsone; each product's own rating depends on its whole formula, so it is shown on the product page, not here.

See all 23 →Find products without it →