Is Activated Charcoal safe in cosmetics?
Activated Charcoal has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Activated Charcoal
Also known as: ACTIVATED CARBON, Acticarbone, Adsorbit, AG 3, AG 5 (+15 more)
INCI: CHARCOAL POWDER
Activated Charcoal (CAS 7440-44-0) is a cosmetic active ingredient functioning as Adsorbent; skin cleanser; pore-cleansing agent; texture agent; claims-driven. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted; GHS signal word DANGER. 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 7440-44-0 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
Adsorbent; skin cleanser; pore-cleansing agent; texture agent; claims-driven anti-pollution ingredient in rinse-off formulations
Safety Rating
EXCELLENT
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
methane
InChIKey
OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N
SMILES
C
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
FDA does not approve activated charcoal as a color additive for cosmetics under the FD&C Act. Products using charcoal to impart color are in violation of federal law. Non-colorant functions (absorbent, abrasive, opacifying) are permitted without color additive listing. VCRP 2023 data: ingredient reported in 231 formulations under Charcoal Powder (eyeliners category) and 53 formulations under Activated Charcoal separately; also reported in 24 shampoo formulations. CIR Final Safety Assessment published December 2023 covering Charcoal, Charcoal Extract, and Charcoal Powder (including activated charcoal); scope explicitly limited to plant-derived sources.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Activated Charcoal.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Signal Word
DANGER
Pictograms
FlamFlame
Hazard Statements
Catches fire spontaneously if exposed to air
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
10 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LD50 | >2000 mg/kg | Rat | dermal | acute | ECHA IUCLID |
| NOAEL | >=1051 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | subchronic (developmental) | ECHA IUCLID |
| NOAEL | >=994 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | subchronic (developmental) | ECHA IUCLID |
| NOAEL | >=1521 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | subchronic (developmental) | ECHA IUCLID |
| NOAEL | >=859 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | subchronic (developmental) | ECHA IUCLID |
| LD50 | >2000 mg/kg | Rat | dermal | - | ECHA IUCLID |
| LD50 | >2000 mg/kg | Rat | dermal | acute | ECHA IUCLID |
| LEL | =10 mg/m3 | Rat | inhalation | - | ECHA IUCLID |
| LD50 | >2000 mg/kg | Rabbit | dermal | acute | ECHA IUCLID |
| LEL | >4.6 mg/m3 | Rat | inhalation | - | ECHA IUCLID |
Additional Ingredient Properties
1 property record from structured ingredient metadata.
mineral_clay
{"cas_number": "16291-96-6", "ingredient_class": "other", "chemical_formula": "C", "mineral_origin": "natural", "particle_size_range_um": "1-100", "surface_area_m2_per_g": "100-800", "crystal_structure": "amorphous", "color_index_CI_number": "CI 77266", "color_appearance": "black", "opacity": "opaque", "refractive_index": "1.8", "oil_absorption_g_per_100g": "150-400", "water_absorption_capacity": …
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (3)
Endocrine Disruptors
Potential endocrine disrupting compound
Source: NORMAN Suspect List Exchange
ICSC Safety Card
0702
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Skin Eye Respiratory Irritation
It can cause a dust irritation, particularly to the eyes and mucous membranes.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Regulatory (1)
JECFA Evaluation
DECOLOURIZING CARBON | 1987 | NOT LIMITED | TRS 759-JECFA 31/25 | FAS 70.39/NMRS 48A-JECFA 14/79 (1970)
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Alloying element
Degradant/impurity
Dye
Filler
Hardener
No specific technical function
Processing aids not otherwise specified
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Activated Charcoal.
Regulatory Flags
cir-reviewed
eu-permitted
fda-color-additive-restriction
not-eu-annex-iv-colorant
sccs-nano-opinion
negligible-dermal-absorption
non-sensitizing
non-genotoxic
plant-derived-only
rinse-off-primary-use
fda_food_additive
Known Synonyms
ACTIVATED CARBON
Acticarbone
Adsorbit
AG 3
AG 5
AK
Aqua nuchar
Calcotone Black
Carbon, colloidal
Caswell No. 161
Cecarbon
CF 8
Colgon BPL
Colgon PCB-D
Colgon PCB 12X30
Conductex
EINECS 231-153-3
EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 016001
Hydrodarco
MA 100
Chemical Function
Dye
Filler
Hardener
Regulatory Lists
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
inert_ingredient; Pesticides
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA count match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Adverse Event Associations
742
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Activated Charcoal allowed in the EU?
Activated Charcoal EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Activated Charcoal do in cosmetics?
Activated Charcoal functions as: Adsorbent; skin cleanser; pore-cleansing agent; texture agent; claims-driven anti-pollution ingredient in rinse-off formulations. It is classified as a Active Ingredient in our database. CAS number: 7440-44-0.
Is Activated Charcoal classified as hazardous under GHS?
Activated Charcoal carries a GHS signal word of "DANGER". Hazard statements: Catches fire spontaneously if exposed to air. This classification is based on the ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Card and ECHA C&L inventory data. Note: GHS classification applies to the pure substance — at cosmetic use concentrations, hazard thresholds may not be met.
Is Activated Charcoal used outside cosmetics?
Activated Charcoal 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.
Compliance Tools
Check Activated Charcoal 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
Related Ingredients
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
Excellent
Same category
Anti-edema peptide for periorbital ar...
Adenosine
Excellent
Same category
Skin-conditioning agent, anti-aging, ...
Allantoin
Excellent
Same category
Skin conditioner, keratolytic, anti-i...
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Excellent
Same category
prebiotic, skin-conditioning
Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract
Excellent
Same category
Skin Brightening, Tyrosinase Inhibito...
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Excellent
Same category
Stable vitamin C derivative; tyrosina...
1-Methylhydantoin-2-imide (Creatinine)
Excellent
Similar safety
Skin conditioning (skin brightening/l...
2,6-Dimethyl-7-octen-2-ol (Dihydromyrcenol)
Excellent
Similar safety
Fragrance (perfuming), masking
2-Ethoxy-2,6,6-Trimethyl-9-Methylenebicyclo[3.3.1]Nonane (Boisiris™)
Excellent
Similar safety
Fragrance (rich woody, orris/iris roo...
2-Hydroxypropylcarbamato Amodimethicone
Excellent
Similar safety
Hair conditioning; modified aminosili...
2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Excellent
Similar safety
Softener and conditioner
3 O Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Excellent
Similar safety
Antioxidant; tyrosinase inhibitor; me...
Activated Charcoal (Charcoal Powder)
Good
Chemical family
Absorbent / Detoxifying agent
Argon
Excellent
Chemical family
Antioxidant (inert gas blanket to pre...
Bronze Powder (CI 77400)
Moderate
Chemical family
Colorant
Is Activated Charcoal in Your Products?
Scan any product label with Piro — our free ingredient scanner. Point your camera at the ingredients list and get instant safety scores for every ingredient.
Try Piro Free →Analyze Your Full Ingredient List
Paste any INCI list into the Decoder for instant safety analysis, or calculate the Margin of Safety for Activated Charcoal in your formulation.