Toluene in cosmetics: why it's flagged
Short answer
Toluene is flagged by Olive Detective as a high concern in cosmetics. Solvent (nail products); neurotoxic and a reproductive concern. The flag is class-level and precautionary, based on EU CosIng restriction; SCCS — it describes the ingredient class, not the safety of any particular product.
What the concern is
- other — flagged for review.
- Irritant — can irritate skin, eyes or the respiratory tract.
How it appears on an INCI list
Cosmetic labels use INCI names, which are standardised worldwide, so the same wording appears on a product bought anywhere. This class is matched on toluene.
How it affects the score
Cosmetic scoring follows the Yuka method: a product with only green and yellow ingredients has its score floored at 50, any orange ingredient caps it below 50, and any red caps it below 25. This ingredient is red, so it caps a product's score below 25 on its own.
Source: EU CosIng restriction; SCCS
Other cosmetic ingredients we flag
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