Triclosan in cosmetics: why it's flagged
Short answer
Triclosan is flagged by Olive Detective as a moderate concern in cosmetics. Antibacterial; endocrine concern and environmental persistence. The flag is class-level and precautionary, based on EU CosIng (restricted); FDA OTC ban in soaps — it describes the ingredient class, not the safety of any particular product.
What the concern is
- Endocrine concern — the class has been examined for hormone-disrupting activity.
- pollutant — flagged for review.
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 triclosan.
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 orange, so it caps a product's score below 50 on its own.
Source: EU CosIng (restricted); FDA OTC ban in soaps
Other cosmetic ingredients we flag
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