Other Concerns
Use restrictions (high), Neurotoxicity (low), Ecotoxicology (low), and Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (moderate)SYNONYMS
Unacceptable
Unacceptable: EWG VERIFIED products cannot contain this ingredient
Methylisothiazolinone is a widely-used preservative; has been associated with allergic reactions. Lab studies on the brain cells of mammals also suggest that methylisothiazolinone may be neurotoxic.
Common concerns
See how this product scores for common concerns.
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LOWCancer
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HIGHAllergies & Immunotoxicity
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LOWDevelopmental and Reproductive Toxicity
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HIGHUse Restrictions
Ingredient concerns
- CONCERNS
- DATA SOURCES
Products with this Ingredient
shampoo | 557 products |
conditioner | 439 products |
liquid hand soap | 394 products |
body wash/cleanser | 340 products |
moisturizer | 49 products |
bubble bath | 49 products |
hair treatment/serum | 44 products |
hair color and bleaching | 39 products |
facial cleanser | 37 products |
bath oil/salts/soak | 24 products |
styling gel/lotion | 20 products |
exfoliant/scrub | 18 products |
facial moisturizer/treatment | 17 products |
hair styling aide | 17 products |
recreational sunscreen | 16 products |
mask | 16 products |
baby shampoo | 13 products |
baby wipes | 12 products |
beard cleanser | 8 products |
daily use with SPF | 7 products |
baby soap | 7 products |
baby bubble bath | 6 products |
body cleansing wipes | 6 products |
shaving cream | 5 products |
serums & essences | 5 products |
styling mousse/foam | 4 products |
toners/astringents | 4 products |
hand sanitizer | 3 products |
3 products | |
baby oil | 3 products |
anti-aging | 2 products |
hand cream | 2 products |
hair spray | 2 products |
detangler | 2 products |
body firming lotion | 2 products |
eye liner | 2 products |
baby lotion | 2 products |
beard care | 2 products |
antiperspirant/deodorant | 1 products |
mascara | 1 products |
concealer | 1 products |
after sun product | 1 products |
hair relaxer | 1 products |
bronzer/highlighter | 1 products |
blush | 1 products |
foundation | 1 products |
depilatory | 1 products |
makeup remover | 1 products |
BB cream | 1 products |
nail polish | 1 products |
body spray | 1 products |
bar soap | 1 products |
baby sunscreen | 1 products |
lipstick | 1 products |
after shave | 1 products |
eyelash glue | 1 products |
muscle/joint soreness | 1 products |
nail glue | 1 products |
Use restrictions
CONCERN | REFERENCE |
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Violation of government restrictions - Banned or found unsafe for use in cosmetics | Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients |
Violation of government restrictions - Banned or found unsafe for use in cosmetics | Open scientific literature |
Restricted in cosmetics (recommendations or requirements) - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Japan - concentration limit in some types of cosmetics when combined with certain other ingredient(s) | Japan's Standards for Cosmetics |
Restricted in cosmetics (recommendations or requirements) - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Use is restricted in Canadian cosmetics | Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients |
Determined safe for use in cosmetics, subject to concentration or use limitations - Safe for use in cosmetics with some qualifications | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
Allergies/immunotoxicity
CONCERN | REFERENCE |
---|---|
Known human immune toxicant or allergen | Open scientific literature |
Human skin toxicant or allergen - strong evidence | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
Human sensitizer toxicant or allergen - strong evidence | Open scientific literature |
Human any toxicant or allergen - moderate evidence | Open scientific literature |
One or more human case studies show significant skin or allergenic effects | Open scientific literature |
Limited evidence of immune system toxicity or allergies | National Library of Medicine HazMap |
Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)
CONCERN | REFERENCE |
---|---|
Possible human skin sensitizer irritant | Open scientific literature |
Neurotoxicity
CONCERN | REFERENCE |
---|---|
One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells demonstrate neurotoxicity | Open scientific literature |
Ecotoxicology
CONCERN | REFERENCE |
---|---|
Wildlife and environmental toxicity | Open scientific literature |
Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Data gaps
CONCERN | REFERENCE |
---|---|
Risk assessment method deficiencies and data gaps - Maximum reported "as used" concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in product | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
331 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical | NLM PubMed |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
CONCERN | REFERENCE |
---|---|
Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Not suspected to be persistent | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
CONCERN | REFERENCE |
---|---|
Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmful | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
- Health Canada. 2007. List of Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetic Ingredients. Canada's Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist. March 2007.
- Open scientific/peer reviewed literature
- Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. 2006. Standards for Cosmetics. Evaluation and Licensing Division. Pharmaceutical and Food Safety Bureau.
- CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC.
- NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2006. HazMap — Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Agents.
- EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
- NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov.
Understanding scores
Cosmetics and personal care products are not required to be tested for safety before being allowed on the market. The Skin Deep® scoring system was designed to help the public understand whether a product is safe to use or whether it contains ingredients of concern.
Every product and ingredient in Skin Deep gets a two-part score – one for hazard and one for data availability. The safest products score well by both measures, with a low hazard rating and a fair or better data availability rating.
HOW WE DETERMINE SCORESHazard score
The Skin Deep ingredient hazard score, from 1 to 10, reflects known and suspected hazards linked to the ingredients. The EWG VERIFIED® mark means a product meets EWG’s strictest criteria for transparency and health.
Data availability
The Skin Deep data availability rating reflects the number of scientific studies about the product or ingredient in the published scientific literature.