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Ingredient register

Carbon Black

Limit Carcinogen Cosmetics and personal care CAS 1333-86-4

Decode Label flags Carbon Black as a moderate concern in cosmetics and personal care (carcinogen). It appears in 1 of the 893 published products we have analysed (0.1%).

The concern

Pigment — IARC Group 2B possible carcinogen; no skin benefit

Carbon black is a pigment produced by incomplete combustion. IARC classifies it as Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic to humans), and commercial grades can carry polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon impurities. The EU restricts the grade and purity permitted in cosmetics. It is a colourant only — it delivers nothing to the formulation beyond blackness.

Most relevant to

Anyone using this regularly

Cited authority

IARC Monograph Vol. 93; EU Regulation 1223/2009 Annex IV

Linked sources: EU-CosIng →

How common it is in this catalogue

Measured across every product Decode Label has analysed — not estimated, and not taken from anyone else's dataset.

1 of 893 published products 0.1%

By category

Haircare 1

Regulatory position

From the published regulation itself. Each row links to its source.

Authority Status Reference Scope / limit Source
EU-CosIng Permitted Annex IV 126a — View →
EU-CosIng Permitted Annex IV 126 — View →

Identity

Canonical name
carbon black (nano)
INCI name
CI 77266
CAS number
1333-86-4
EC number
215-609-9

Also appears on labels as

CI 77266 Acetylene Black Channel Black Furnace Black Lamp Black Thermal Black

Questions

Is Carbon Black safe?

The concern is cited to IARC Monograph Vol. 93; EU Regulation 1223/2009 Annex IV. Why it is flagged: Pigment — IARC Group 2B possible carcinogen; no skin benefit. Decode Label treats it as a moderate concern in cosmetics and personal care. It appears in 1 of the 893 published products we have analysed (0.1%).

How common is Carbon Black in Indian packaged products?

Decode Label found Carbon Black in 1 of 893 published products (0.1%), most often in Haircare.

Is Carbon Black restricted or banned anywhere?

Under the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (CosIng), Carbon Black has 2 permitted entries. Each is shown with its annex reference and a link to the source in the Regulatory position table.

Who should be most careful with Carbon Black?

Anyone using this regularly.

Products containing Carbon Black

1 published product, each with its own full analysis.

Kesh Kanti Reetha Hair Cleanser

Related ingredients

Other entries in the register with the same kind of concern.

Coal Tar Formaldehyde BHA DMDM Hydantoin Hydroquinone Imidazolidinyl Urea

Method and limits

  • Prevalence counts published products whose decoded ingredient list matches this substance or one of its label synonyms, using the same matching the score itself uses. It describes our catalogue of 893 products, not the Indian market as a whole.
  • Presence is not dose. An ingredient list gives order, not quantity, unless the pack declares a percentage. Nothing here estimates how much of this substance any product contains.
  • A classification is not a verdict on a product. An agency classifies a substance under defined conditions of exposure; whether that matters in a given food or cosmetic depends on route, concentration and use.
  • Last updated. This register entry was last changed on 28 September 2026.
  • Corrections. Every figure here is reproducible from the sources named. If something is wrong, tell us and we will correct it and say what changed.