Quaternium-15
Decode Label flags Quaternium-15 as a moderate concern in cosmetics and personal care (skin irritant). It was not found in any of the 912 published products we have analysed.
The concern
Formaldehyde-releasing preservative - a leading preservative allergen
Quaternium-15 preserves a product by slowly releasing formaldehyde, a known human carcinogen and strong sensitiser. It is one of the most frequent preservative causes of allergic contact dermatitis, and formaldehyde releasers carry labelling duties above set thresholds.
Most relevant to
Cited authority
EU Regulation 1223/2009 Annex V; IARC Monograph 100F (formaldehyde); contact-dermatitis surveillance data
Linked sources: EU-CosIng →
Not found in this catalogue
0 of 912 published products Decode Label has analysed list Quaternium-15 or any of its label synonyms. That describes this catalogue, not the Indian market as a whole. If a product we score lists it, it will appear here and its score will reflect it.
Regulatory position
From the published regulation itself. Each row links to its source.
Identity
- Canonical name
- Cis-1-(3-chloroallyl)-3,5,7- triaza-1-azoniaadamantane chloride (cis-CTAC)
- CAS number
- 51229-78-8
- EC number
- 426-020-3
Also appears on labels as
Questions
Is Quaternium-15 safe?
The EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 prohibits Quaternium-15 in cosmetics (Annex II, entry 1385). Why it is flagged: Formaldehyde-releasing preservative - a leading preservative allergen. Decode Label treats it as a moderate concern in cosmetics and personal care. It was not found in any of the 912 published products we have analysed.
How common is Quaternium-15 in Indian packaged products?
Decode Label has not found Quaternium-15 in any of the 912 published products analysed so far. That describes this catalogue, not the Indian market as a whole.
Is Quaternium-15 restricted or banned anywhere?
Under the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (CosIng), Quaternium-15 has 2 prohibited 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 Quaternium-15?
People with sensitive skin; People with eczema; Children.
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.