Product Knowledge

Bronopol Uses in Cosmetics & Personal Care Products

Bronopol has a long history as a preservative in shampoos, lotions, and other personal care formulations, valued for its fast action against gram-negative bacteria. This guide covers its cosmetic applications, dosage, and the regulatory considerations formulators must check before use.

Published 2026-01-20Updated 2026-07-27By Vasudev Chemo Pharma Technical TeamReviewed by Vasudev Chemo Pharma Formulation & Regulatory Affairs Team, Industrial Chemistry, Biocide Formulation

Why Is Bronopol Used in Cosmetics and Personal Care?

Bronopol is valued in cosmetics for its fast, strong activity against gram-negative bacteria, especially Pseudomonas species that commonly contaminate water-based formulations. It is effective at low use levels and compatible with a wide range of surfactant systems used in personal care products.

Bronopol was first adopted as a pharmaceutical preservative and became popular in shampoos and cosmetics due to its low mammalian toxicity at in-use levels combined with high activity against bacteria, especially gram-negative species that are common water contaminants. It shows high compatibility with cationic, nonionic, anionic, and amphoteric surfactants and many other raw materials, including other preservatives, which is one reason it became a versatile formulation choice across a wide range of personal care product types.

What Personal Care Applications Use Bronopol?

Bronopol has historically been used in shampoos, body lotions, liquid soaps, and other rinse-off and leave-on personal care formulations, generally dosed at 0.02% to 0.1%. Its use in some leave-on categories has declined due to nitrosamine formation considerations.

Historically, Bronopol has been used across shampoos, conditioners, body lotions, liquid hand soaps, and other water-based personal care formulations, taking advantage of its effectiveness at low dosage and broad compatibility with common cosmetic raw materials. Use in personal care products, particularly leave-on categories, has declined since the late 1980s in some markets due to the potential for nitrosamine formation when Bronopol decomposes in the presence of secondary amines or amides — see our dedicated guide on nitrosamine formation risk for the full mechanism and mitigation approach.
Typical Bronopol use levels in personal care categories
Product categoryTypical use levelFormulation note
Shampoo / rinse-off hair care0.02%-0.1%Check compatibility with amphoteric surfactants
Liquid hand soap0.02%-0.1%Verify pH stays acidic-to-neutral for best stability
Body lotion / leave-on skin careConfirm current regulatory limitNitrosamine risk assessment required if secondary amines present

What Should Formulators Check Before Using Bronopol in Cosmetics?

Confirm current permitted concentration limits on the EU CosIng database or your target market's equivalent register, avoid formulating with secondary amines or amides present, add Bronopol from the onset of cold-process formulations, and validate the final product with preservative efficacy testing.

Regulatory permitted use and concentration limits for Bronopol vary by jurisdiction and are subject to periodic review — always check the current status on the EU CosIng database or your target market's cosmetic ingredient register before finalising a formulation. For cold process products, add Bronopol from the onset of the formulation preparation process. Bronopol breaks down under alkaline conditions and elevated temperature, and should not be used in combination with secondary amines due to the risk of nitrosamine formation. Screen raw materials for trace secondary amine or amide contamination before finalising a formulation containing Bronopol.

Frequently asked questions

Is Bronopol still used in cosmetics today?+
Yes, though its use in some leave-on personal care categories has declined since the late 1980s due to nitrosamine formation risk. It remains used in various cosmetic and personal care formulations where secondary amine contamination is controlled and screened.
What is the typical Bronopol use level in shampoo?+
Typical use levels for Bronopol in shampoo and similar rinse-off personal care products range from 0.02% to 0.1%, though always confirm the current permitted concentration for your target market before finalising a formulation.
Can Bronopol be used with amphoteric surfactants in shampoo?+
Bronopol shows high compatibility with cationic, nonionic, anionic, and amphoteric surfactants generally, but always verify compatibility for your specific formulation through bench trials, since specific raw material combinations can vary.
Why has Bronopol use declined in some leave-on cosmetic products?+
Bronopol can decompose under alkaline conditions and elevated temperature to release nitrite, which can react with any secondary amine or amide contaminants in a formulation to form nitrosamines. This risk has led some regulators and brands to restrict or avoid Bronopol in certain leave-on product categories.

Sources

  1. European Chemicals Agency — Cosmetics preservatives list (CosIng)
  2. PubChem — Bronopol compound summary