Methyl Salicylate
Decode Label flags Methyl Salicylate as a low concern in cosmetics and personal care (skin irritant). It appears in 2 of the 912 published products we have analysed (0.2%).
The concern
Wintergreen scent - toxic if swallowed, mainly a risk for young children
Methyl salicylate is the active compound of wintergreen oil. A small amount of the pure or concentrated oil is dangerous if swallowed, which is why US consumer-safety rules require child-resistant packaging for products containing more than 5 percent. At the low strengths used to flavour or scent a finished product it is far less of a concern, but it is related to aspirin, so people who avoid salicylates may want to know it is present. The EU safety committee has also issued advice on children exposure to it.
Most relevant to
Cited authority
US CPSC Poison Prevention Packaging Act requirement (over 5 percent methyl salicylate); SCCS/1676/25 advice on children exposure to methyl salicylate
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.
By category
Regulatory position
From the published regulation itself. Each row links to its source.
| Authority | Status | Reference | Scope / limit | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EU-CosIng | Restricted CMR | Annex III 324 | (a) Leave-on skin products (except face makeup, spray/aerosol body lotion, spray/aerosol d... max (a) 0,06 % (b) 0,05 % (c) 0,002 %... | View → |
Identity
- Canonical name
- Methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate
- INCI name
- METHYL SALICYLATE
- CAS number
- 119-36-8
- EC number
- 204-317-7
Also appears on labels as
Questions
Is Methyl Salicylate safe?
The EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 permits Methyl Salicylate in cosmetics only within set limits (Annex III, entry 324). Why it is flagged: Wintergreen scent - toxic if swallowed, mainly a risk for young children. Decode Label treats it as a low concern in cosmetics and personal care. It appears in 2 of the 912 published products we have analysed (0.2%).
How common is Methyl Salicylate in Indian packaged products?
Decode Label found Methyl Salicylate in 2 of 912 published products (0.2%), most often in Oral Care.
Is Methyl Salicylate restricted or banned anywhere?
Under the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (CosIng), Methyl Salicylate has 1 restricted entry. Each is shown with its annex reference and a link to the source in the Regulatory position table.
Who should be most careful with Methyl Salicylate?
Children; People who are pregnant; People with sensitive skin.
Products containing Methyl Salicylate
2 published products, each with its own full analysis.
Related ingredients
Other entries in the register with the same kind of concern.
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 912 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 3 November 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.