DMDM Hydantoin

Our database includes 256 products that contain DMDM Hydantoin.

You should know

What it is

Preservative

Concerns

Irritation
Eczema

Explained

DMDM Hydantoin has antimicrobial and antifungal properties. It is a preservative that works by slowly releasing formaldehyde over time.

So what's formaldehyde?

  • Formaldehyde is a skin sensitizer and carcinogen.
  • Those with formaldehyde allergies or contact dermatitis should avoid this ingredient.
  • It is also naturally occurring in foods we eat. Apples, bananas, grapes, onions, carrots, and other foods all contain tiny amounts of formaldehyde.

DMDM Hydantoin is approved for use in cosmetics all around the world.
In the EU, this ingredient is allowed in personal products up to 0.6 percent.

You might have heard of the class-action lawsuit about it causing hair loss. According to chemists, there has not been a link found between this ingredient and hair loss.

The Hydantoin part of this ingredient is created by reacting glycolic acid and urea.

You can check out alternatives to Dmdm Hydantoin:
phenoxyethanol, potassium sorbate, and sodium benzoate.

People also dislike: Niacinamide, Parfum, Salicylic Acid

Also known as: Glydant

DMDM Hydantoin is a rare cosmetic ingredient, with about 0.7% of the products in our database containing it.

What it does:

Preservative

Community Stats

72 people from our community have liked or disliked this ingredient.

Users who dislike it 💔

Often have the following skin types:

Sensitive Dry

Usually have one or more of the following skin concerns:

Seborrheic Dermatitis • Sensitivity • Dryness • Fungal Acne

Where it's used

DMDM Hydantoin is most often found as ingredient number 15 within an ingredient list.

These are the categories of products that use DMDM Hydantoin the most:

CosIng Data

  • CosIng ID: 33723
  • INCI Name: DMDM HYDANTOIN
  • EC #:  229-222-8
  • All Functions: Preservative
What is CosIng?

CosIng is the European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients.

SkinSort uses CosIng to source some of it's data on ingredient names and functions.