WHAT ARE METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE (MI OR MIT) AND METHYLCHLOROISOTHIAZOLINONE (MCI OR MCIT)?
Methylsothiazolinone (MI or MIT) and methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI or MCIT) are two preservatives used in haircare and other personal care products.
Preservatives help keep people safe by preventing the growth of bacteria and mold in products.
How MI and MCI work
Both MI and MCI are effective preservatives commonly used in personal care products.They have several useful properties:
Methylisothiazolinone and Methylchloroisothiazolinone have antibacterial and antifungal properties to help control/prevent microbial growth in water-containing solution, like shampoos, conditioners or creams.
Together, these preservatives help ensure shampoo, conditioner and other personal care products remain safe and effective throughout their shelf-life.
MI, MCI and your health
Like many preservatives, MI and MCI have been the subject of some scrutiny due to allergenic potential. It’s important to note that these concerns lie with use in leave-on products like skin creams and sunscreens and not with rinse-off products like shampoos or conditioners which are washed off and diluted in use. Nonetheless, leading authorities established guidance for safe usage ranges for rinse-off products. These guidelines were published in 2021*.
HOW DOES H&S USE MI AND MCI?
Most Head & Shoulders products, including H&S Classic Clean, H&S Clinical Strength and H&S BARE do not use MI / MIT or MCI / MCIT. However, the limited set of H&S products that use these preservatives do so in compliance with the published guidance from the leading safety authorities*.
Click here for more info on MI / MIT and MCI / MCIT.
*Burnett et al. International Journal of Toxicology, 2021, Vol. 40(Supplement 1) 20S–33S
