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Methylisothiazolinone
Methylisothiazolinone (MI)
preservative EU restricted
Preservative that became the 'Allergen of the Year' in 2013. Powerful sensitizer that caused an epidemic of contact dermatitis. Now banned in EU leave-on products, restricted in rinse-off.
Benefits
Effective broad-spectrum preservation
Risks & concerns
Strong sensitizer, banned in EU leave-on products since 2016, contact dermatitis epidemic
Avoid if
Dry skin Oily skin Combination skin Sensitive skin Normal skin
Technical details
- INCI name
- Methylisothiazolinone
- CAS Number
- 2682-20-4
- Category
- preservative
- Comedogenic rating
- 0/5
- Also known as
- mi, mit, kathon