Fact-check
Is kojic acid banned in India?
Last checked 10 October 2026
No. Kojic acid does not appear on India's prohibited-ingredient list (IS 4707 Part 2, Annex A) as far as public summaries show, no CDSCO alert or public notice concerns it as an ingredient, and the one kojic-acid product in CDSCO's 2026 lab lists (a soap, Aug 2026) failed for vitamin E content, not for kojic acid; the EU restricts it to 1 per cent in face and hand products since 2022.
- Classification
- Not banned; no Indian prohibition or limit found
- Tested by
- No regulator action on record
- Reference
- IS 4707 Part 2 (prohibited and restricted substances); CDSCO NSQ alerts to Aug 2026
- Latest action
- 1 August 2026
- Last checked
- 10 October 2026
Photo: Woman applying cream to hand.jpg by Moose Photos (CC0). All photo credits.
CDSCO: Not of Standard Quality (NSQ) alerts, public portal (monthly lists from state and central labs)
No regulator has acted on this finding. It comes from a published study or a private testing company, and the brand may dispute it.
Scope. A record here does not by itself mean a product or company is unsafe or banned today. Regulatory actions can apply to one batch, one formulation, one period or one state. Always check the linked government document for the current position, and tell us if something is out of date. How we label records.
Below: Blacklisted's explanationWe explain what the test or study found. No regulator has acted on it.
Key facts
- India
- No prohibition or limit found in the Cosmetics Rules 2020 or public summaries of IS 4707 Part 2; no CDSCO action
- Lab lists
- Aug 2026: a Kojic Acid Dipalmitate soap (D R Skincare, Sangrur) listed as not of standard quality for vitamin E assay, not for kojic acid
- EU
- Allowed up to 1 per cent in face and hand products (Regulation 2022/1181)
- Elsewhere
- Permitted in the US, Japan and the Philippines; restricted in some countries as a sensitiser
- Caveat
- The BIS standard text is paid-for; this record relies on published summaries and will be corrected if the standard lists kojic acid
Where the claim comes from
Searches about kojic acid bans in other countries (it has been restricted in Switzerland and discussed in the EU) spill over into India queries.
Kojic acid is a fungal by-product used in soaps and creams to lighten dark patches by slowing melanin production. It is not hydroquinone and is not regulated like it. In India the ingredient does not appear in the prohibited list the Cosmetics Rules 2020 adopt from IS 4707 Part 2, according to the published summaries of that standard, and CDSCO has issued no notice or alert about it as an ingredient. The only kojic product in the 2026 lab lists, a kojic acid dipalmitate soap from a Punjab maker, failed its vitamin E assay, which says nothing about the kojic acid.
The reference point most people cite is the European Union, which in 2022 limited kojic acid to 1 per cent in face and hand products after a safety assessment found it a possible endocrine disruptor and a skin sensitiser at higher levels. The United States, Japan and the Philippines permit it. India sets no percentage, so the practical guidance is the EU's: products that do not state a concentration should be treated with the same care as any lightening agent.
One honest limit on this record: the full text of IS 4707 Part 2 is sold by BIS and we have not read the 2025 edition line by line. If kojic acid turns out to be listed, this page will say so.
What this means for you
Legal, with the usual caveats
Kojic acid can irritate and sensitise skin. The EU's 1 per cent cap is a reasonable guide; Indian products rarely state the percentage.
Imports still need registration
Many kojic soaps sold online are Philippine imports. A lawful one carries a CDSCO import registration number on the pack.
This is a record of official orders, not medical advice. Do not stop a prescribed medicine without asking your doctor or pharmacist.
Common questions
Is Kojie San soap banned in India?
No record of any action. As an import it needs a CDSCO registration to be sold lawfully; check for the registration number on the pack.
Official sources and primary records
- India's cosmetic ingredient regulations: IS 4707 Part 1 (permitted colourants) and Part 2 (prohibited and restricted substances)SourceChemLinked · 1 January 2026
- Regulator
- Cosmetics Rules, 2020 (G.S.R. 763(E), 15 Dec 2020), CDSCO cosmetics division page with rules, FAQs and noticesGazetteCDSCO · 15 December 2020