MENTHOL
薄荷醇
Also known as Cyclohexanol, 5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)-
CAS 1490-04-6EC 201-939-0/ 216-074-4/ 218-690-9/ 239-387-8PubChem CID 1254
What it is and how it is used
Cooling and soothing agent at 0.5–2%; high levels may cause sensitivity or irritation, use caution around eyes and mucous membranes
Status in national inventories
| China · Inventory of existing ingredients | 01225 | leave-on 60.5% |
|---|---|---|
| EU · CosIng | 35228 | 功能 DENATURANT, FRAGRANCE, REFRESHING, SOOTHING · 限制 III/338 |
| EU · Annexes to 1223/2009 | III/338 | 附录 III 限用 · 序号 338 · The presence of the substance shall be indicated in the list of ingredients referred to in Article 19(1), point (g), when its concentration exceeds: — 0,001 % in leave-on products — 0,01 % in rinse-off products. |
Matched on the exact INCI name; salts, esters and synonyms may be missed. The latest official text prevails.
Regulatory status by market Prohibited / restricted / permitted — listing is not approval
Asia-Pacific
| Market | Status | Conditions (as published) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| KoreaMFDS | Restricted화장품 사용제한 원료 | 구분: 한도; 표준명: 멘톨; CASNo: -; 영문명: Menthol | kr-mfdsC · Official source |
EMEA
| Market | Status | Conditions (as published) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
European UnionEuropean CommissionApplies in 30 countries / territoriesAustria · Belgium · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus · Czechia · Denmark · Estonia · Finland · France · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Ireland · Italy · Latvia · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Malta · Netherlands · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain · Sweden · Norway · Iceland · Liechtenstein | RestrictedEU Annex III | 附录 III 限用 · 序号 338 · The presence of the substance shall be indicated in the list of ingredients referred to in Article 19(1), point (g), when its concentration exceeds: — 0,001 % in leave-on products — 0,01 % in rinse-off products. | EU Regulation 1223/2009 consolidated 2026-05-01 (EUR-Lex)C · Official source |
GCC Standardization OrganizationGSOApplies in 6 countries / territoriesSaudi Arabia · UAE · Oman · Qatar · Kuwait · Bahrain | RestrictedGSO 1943:2021 Annex → EU Annex III | 附录 III 限用 · 序号 338 · The presence of the substance shall be indicated in the list of ingredients referred to in Article 19(1), point (g), when its concentration exceeds: — 0,001 % in leave-on products — 0,01 % in rinse-off products. | GSO 1943:2021 Annex 2/3/4/5/6 → 动态引用 EU 1223/2009 附录(原文:listC · Official source |
Public regulatory text on file for 3 jurisdiction(s), covering 39 countries / territories once regional blocs are expanded. Other markets have no public data here — absence is neither approval nor prohibition. Table updated 2026-09-22.
Compiled from publicly published regulatory texts; conditions are reproduced as published, neither rewritten nor translated. The latest official announcement of the target market prevails — this table is a compiled reference, not a compliance conclusion. Matched on the INCI name; salts, esters and synonyms may be missed. Usability and labelling are for the brand and its responsible person to verify against the full text.
Literature
- Bimodal action of menthol on the transient receptor potential channel TRPA1.The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience · 2007
Electrophysiological recordings showed menthol exerts a bimodal regulatory effect on the TRPA1 channel.
C · Official source - A TRP channel that senses cold stimuli and menthol.Cell · 2002
In vitro, menthol was observed to activate cells overexpressing the TRPM8 channel.
C · Official source - Menthol and related cooling compounds.The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology · 1994
The review noted that menthol's cooling action on skin is related to its effects on calcium conductance in nerves.
C · Official source
Bibliographic records and finding summaries come from public literature databases; research leads only, not efficacy claims.
Popular products with this ingredient 261 products
- Head Head & Shoulders Royal Oils Instant Soothe Scalp Elixir, 4.2 fl oz, No-Rinse Scalp Relief for Textured HairOther · scalp
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- clinique Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2 (Discontinued)Global · 面霜
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Functions from EU CosIng and the China inventory; irritancy, comedogenicity and rating are our internal reading, not a regulatory conclusion. Structure and molecular data from PubChem.
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