Glycolic Acid: CIR Safety Assessment Summary
CIR safety assessment summary for Glycolic Acid: ingredients reviewed, panel verdict, use concentration context, conditions, and source citation.
Glycolic Acid appears in a CIR safety assessment covering Glycolic Acid, Ammonium Glycolate, Calcium Glycolate, Potassium Glycolate, Sodium Glycolate, Methyl Glycolate, Ethyl Glycolate, Propyl Glycolate, and 4 more. The panel verdict for the report is Safe with qualifications. Based on the available information included in this report, the CIR Expert Panel concludes that Glycolic and Lactic Acid, their common salts and their simple esters, are safe for use in cosmetic products at concentrations ≤ 10%, at final formulation pH ≥ 3.5, when formulated to avoid increasing sun sensitivity or when directions for use include the daily use of sun protection.
| Field | CIR value |
|---|---|
| Primary ingredient | Glycolic Acid |
| CIR verdict | Safe with qualifications |
| Report type | Final Report |
| Date | 1998 |
| CAS numbers | 79-14-1, 26257-13-6, 623-50-7, 50-21-5, 52003-58-4, 814-80-2, 996-31-6, 72-17-3, 20475-12-1, 547-64-8, 97-64-3, 617-51-6, 138-22-7, 6283-92-7, 1323-03-1, 35274-05-6 |
| Use concentration context | 10%; 30% |
| Conditions or carve-outs |
Ingredients Reviewed
The review scope matters because CIR conclusions often apply to an ingredient family rather than a single INCI name. In this report, the ingredient list includes Glycolic Acid, Ammonium Glycolate, Calcium Glycolate, Potassium Glycolate, Sodium Glycolate, Methyl Glycolate, Ethyl Glycolate, Propyl Glycolate, and 4 more.
Safety Conclusion
The conclusion for Glycolic Acid should be read as a CIR panel conclusion, not a regulatory limit. CIR assessments summarize expert-panel safety determinations for cosmetic use, while legal status still depends on the jurisdiction and product category.
For use levels, the report gives this concentration context: 10%; 30%. That language is the safe-use context shown for this page.
Conditions
Based on the available information included in this report, the CIR Expert Panel concludes that Glycolic and Lactic Acid, their common salts and their simple esters, are safe for use in cosmetic products at concentrations ≤ 10%, at final formulation pH ≥ 3.5, when formulated to avoid increasing sun sensitivity or when directions for use include the daily use of sun protection.
Formulation Reading
For formula review, begin with the exact INCI identity and the ingredient group covered by the CIR assessment. If the material is Glycolic Acid, the relevant comparison is whether the intended use aligns with the practices, concentration ranges, and conditions described in the CIR source.
The ingredient hub at Glycolic Acid should carry the substance-level profile. This page is the report-level summary, keeping the conclusion, ingredient scope, and use-context language attached to the CIR source rather than treating the conclusion as a universal permission.
Why This Page Exists
CIR reviews are long documents, and the practical answer is usually buried in the conclusion and the table of current practices. This summary keeps those CIR facts in one indexable page for Glycolic Acid, with source details retained at the bottom for audit.
Source
- CIR report: Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Glycolic Acid, Ammonium, Calcium, Potassium, and Sodium Glycolates, Methyl, Ethyl, Propyl, and Butyl Glycolates, and Lactic Acid, Ammonium, Calcium, Potassium, Sodium, and TEA-Lactates, Methyl, Ethyl, Isopropyl, and Butyl Lactates, and Lauryl, Myristyl, and Cetyl Lactates
- CIR source file: pr34.pdf
- Extraction JSON: Source documentation archived.
- Conclusion page in CIR extraction: 209