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Cosmetic ingredient dictionary

Etidronic Acid in cosmetics: what it is and what it does

Etidronic Acid is a cosmetic ingredient that binds metals in water so the product stays stable. The EU allows it only with limits or conditions. Open Beauty Facts finds it in 155 products, most often soaps.

By Bravoora teamUpdated Sources checked 3 sourcesHow we check

What does Etidronic Acid do in a product?

In a cosmetic product, Etidronic Acid binds metals in water so the product stays stable. The EU’s CosIng database lists this job for it: chelating.

chelating

What other names and numbers does Etidronic Acid have?

CAS number
2809-21-4
EC number
220-552-8
CosIng reference
33900

Is Etidronic Acid restricted in the EU?

Yes, it has limits. The EU allows it only with limits or conditions of use, such as a maximum amount or a warning on the label (Annex III of Regulation 1223/2009, entry 53).

The annex entry sets the exact limits, the products it may be used in and any warning the label must carry.

Which products contain Etidronic Acid?

Open Beauty Facts finds Etidronic Acid in the ingredient lists of 155 of the 22,021 products it has a list for, most often soaps, hair care and marseille soaps.

  • Soaps51
  • Hair care19
  • Marseille soaps16
  • Hair dyes12

Products with it, by country of sale: France 45 · Australia 30 · Norway 18 · Bolivia 8.

Counted on 13 October 2026 from Open Beauty Facts, which volunteers fill from real packs: it shows where Etidronic Acid turns up, not how much of the market it is.

On these listsRestricted in the EU

Bravoora reads this ingredient for everyone you shop for: an allergy or intolerance, a vegan or vegetarian diet, a calorie or protein goal, and the labels on supplements and skincare too. Build a profile · For dermatologists, dietitians and doctors

Sources

The job, the description and the EU annex entry are CosIng’s; the fragrance allergens are the EU Annex III names Bravoora’s label checker reads; the product counts are Open Beauty Facts’.

  1. European Commission: CosIng cosmetic ingredient database (functions, description, EU annex entry)
  2. Open Beauty Facts: product database, 77,506 products, read 13 October 2026, ODbL
  3. EU Regulation 1223/2009 on cosmetic products (the annexes)

Contains information from Open Beauty Facts, which is made available here under the Open Database License (ODbL). Read the licence · Download this dictionary’s data · How we check

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