murphyDiazolidinyl Urea
AKA: 78491-02-8, Diazolidinylurea, Germall 11, Imidazolidinyl urea 11, N'-Bis(hydroxymethyl) urea
Synthetic
Preservative
Not Clean
OriginSynthesized from urea and formaldehyde through condensation reactions to form imidazolidinyl derivatives. Produced by combining these chemical precursors under controlled conditions to create the cyclic preservative compound.
1-[1,3-bis(Hydroxymethyl)-2,5-dioxoimidazolidin-4-yl]-1,3-bis(hydroxymethyl)urea
Formula
C8H14N4O7
Mol. Weight
278.22
CAS #
78491-02-8
Form
Liquid
State
Liquid
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
General
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
Allergen Warning
⚠️ Formaldehyde Releaser
⚠️ Formaldehyde Releaser
Functions
Preservative
Keeps your product from growing bacteria, mold, or yeast. Without these, that jar of cream becomes a petri dish in about a week.
Preserves Formula
Prevents microbial growth
The paper trail
🔬Peer-reviewed1 paper →
⚖️Regulatory1 listing →
🛡️Safety-assessed2 reviews →
Counts, not a verdict. A listing isn't a study. The trail, you decide.
EWG
4
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Yes
Restricted By
CIR Safety Findings
Not Phototoxic
Product formulation test found no phototoxicity in the CIR safety assessment (CIR 137)
Mixed Eye Irritation Results
2 studies / 1 irritating / 1 not irritating (CIR 137)
Mixed Skin Irritation Results
8 studies / 3 irritating / 2 mixed / 3 not irritating / reactions mild to moderate / plus 2 case reports (CIR 137)
Mixed Sensitization Results
9 studies / 3 sensitizing / 1 mixed / 5 not sensitizing / plus 4 case reports (CIR 137)
Concentration Guide
0%50%100%
Reg. limit 0.5%
EU regulatory limit: 0.5%. Source: EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009, Annex V (Preservatives), Entry 46.
Regulatory Agencies
Verified Jun 2026
Data: PubChem · CosIng · EWG · CIR