Ingredient Index

Is Kojic Acid banned in Europe?

Restricted in EU

No: kojic acid is restricted, not banned, in the EU. Since the 2024 amendment it's allowed only in face and hand products at up to 1%, while the US sets no specific concentration limit.

CAS: 501-30-4 Also seen as: 5-Hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-4-pyranone

What the EU does

Restricted, not banned, and recently tightened. Kojic acid is a skin-brightening agent used to fade dark spots, and it is hugely popular in K-beauty. The EU added it to Annex III of the Cosmetics Regulation (the list of substances allowed only under limits) through Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/996. Under that amendment, kojic acid may be used at a maximum of 1% and only in face and hand products. Body-care uses fall outside what the restriction permits.

The compliance dates matter for anyone shopping the transition. Products that did not meet the new rule could no longer be placed on the EU market from February 1, 2025, and non-compliant stock could no longer be made available from November 1, 2025. The concern behind the limit is suspected endocrine activity, which is why the EU narrowed the use rather than waiting for proof of harm. (Note: some secondary sources cite Regulation (EU) 2024/197 for this change; the operative measure is 2024/996.)

Citation Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex III; Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/996 (1% in face and hand products)

What the US does

Permitted, with no specific FDA concentration limit. Kojic acid is widely sold in US dark-spot serums and brightening creams, typically at 1% to 2%, and sometimes higher in professional products. The FDA has not set a cap the way the EU now has.

So the gap is a clean restriction story. Both regions allow kojic acid, but the EU has drawn explicit lines around where and how strong, while the US leaves concentration to the formulator. If you use a brightening product bought in the US, it may legally contain more kojic acid, or use it in product types, that an EU-compliant version could not.

Citation FDA: no specific concentration limit for kojic acid in cosmetics

Products that commonly contain it

Kojic acid is a dark-spot and hyperpigmentation treatment. It shows up in:

Dark-spot correcting serums and creams
Brightening soaps and cleansers, common in K-beauty and J-beauty lines
Melasma and post-acne-mark treatments
Some professional and salon brightening products

What to look for on a label

On an INCI list, kojic acid is usually named plainly:

"Kojic acid" in the ingredient list
"Kojic dipalmitate", a more stable derivative that behaves differently and is regulated separately
EU-compliant products will be face or hand formulas at 1% or less
A US body lotion or soap with kojic acid may exceed what EU rules now allow

Or skip the squinting: paste the whole ingredient list into our checker and it flags everything in our database. Nothing you paste leaves your browser.

Frequently asked questions

Is kojic acid banned in Europe?

No. It is restricted, not banned. Since Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/996, kojic acid is allowed in the EU only in face and hand products at a maximum of 1%.

When did the EU kojic acid limit take effect?

Non-compliant products could no longer be placed on the EU market from February 1, 2025, and could no longer be made available from November 1, 2025.

Is kojic acid legal in the United States?

Yes. The FDA permits kojic acid in cosmetics with no specific concentration limit, so US products may contain more than an EU-compliant formula would.

Why did the EU restrict kojic acid?

The restriction reflects suspected endocrine activity. Consistent with its precautionary default, the EU narrowed where and how strongly kojic acid can be used rather than waiting for proof of harm.

Related ingredients

Primary sources

Last reviewed June 15, 2026 · How we assign statuses