Is 2-Octanol safe in cosmetics?
2-Octanol has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted. 3 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
2-Octanol
Also known as: Caprylic alcohol, secondary, EINECS 204-667-0, EINECS 223-938-4, FEMA No. 2801, FEMA Number 2801 (+8 more)
INCI: 2-OCTANOL
2-Octanol (CAS 123-96-6) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Fragrance ingredient, solvent. NOAEL 300 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 123-96-6 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
2-Octanol is classified GHS Danger (H315, H318, H319, H227, H226, H305, H316, H335) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
Fragrance ingredient, solvent
Safety Rating
GOOD
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
octan-2-ol
InChIKey
SJWFXCIHNDVPSH-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Safety Rating
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for 2-Octanol.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
3 study endpoints found for 2-Octanol. NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) values are used to calculate the Margin of Safety per SCCS methodology.
| Endpoint | Value | Route | Species | Study Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAEL | =100 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | reproduction developmental | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
| NOAEL | =300 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | subchronic | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
| NOAEL | =1000 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | reproduction developmental | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is irritating to the eyes and respiratory tract. The substance is mildly irritating to the skin. If this liquid is swallowed, aspiration into the lungs may result in chemical pneumonitis.
Long-term Exposure Effects
The substance defats the skin, which may cause dryness or cracking.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation, through the skin and by ingestion.
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for 2-Octanol across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
10 - 100 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (1)
ICSC Safety Card
1170
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Regulatory (4)
JECFA Number
289
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
JECFA Evaluation
2-OCTANOL | 1998 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | TRS 891-JECFA 51/59 | FAS 42-JECFA 51/235
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
JECFA Evaluation
CAPRYL ALCOHOL | 1997 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | TRS 884-JECFA 49/29 | FAS 40-JECFA 49/147
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
JECFA Evaluation
HEXYL METHYL CARBINOL | 1998 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | TRS 891-JECFA 51/59 | FAS 42-JECFA 51/235
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Defoamer
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Solvent
Regulatory List Membership (3)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Consumer Product Chemical
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for 2-Octanol.
Regulatory Flags
fragrance-component
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
jecfa_safe
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to 2-Octanol by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
3
Lowest NOAEL
100 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
1000 mg/kg bw/day
ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID
Known Synonyms
Caprylic alcohol, secondary
EINECS 204-667-0
EINECS 223-938-4
FEMA No. 2801
FEMA Number 2801
2-Octanol (+-)
UNII-66B0DD5E40
beta-octyl alcohol
hexyl methyl carbinol
methyl hexyl carbinol
n-octan-2-ol
sec-octyl alcohol
secondary caprylic alcohol
Chemical Function
Fragrance
Flavouring and nutrient
Defoamer
Solvent
Regulatory Lists
IFRA Transparency
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
consumer_product
Europe
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL510068
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 2-Octanol allowed in the EU?
2-Octanol EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does 2-Octanol do in cosmetics?
2-Octanol functions as: Fragrance ingredient, solvent. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 123-96-6.
What is the NOAEL for 2-Octanol?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for 2-Octanol is =100 mg/kg bw/day based on a reproduction developmental study via oral route in Rat. A total of 3 study endpoints are available. Source: ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID.
Is 2-Octanol used outside cosmetics?
2-Octanol also appears in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Does 2-Octanol have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
2-Octanol is classified GHS Danger (H315, H318, H319, H227, H226, H305, H316, H335) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Compliance Tools
Check 2-Octanol compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
Paste a full ingredient list for instant analysis
82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
Check compliance across multiple jurisdictions
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions
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