Is Activated Charcoal (Charcoal Powder) safe in cosmetics?
Activated Charcoal (Charcoal Powder) has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Activated Charcoal (Charcoal Powder)
Also known as: ACTIVATED CARBON, Acticarbone, Adsorbit, AG 3, AG 5 (+15 more)
INCI: ACTIVATED CHARCOAL
Activated Charcoal (Charcoal Powder) (CAS 7440-44-0) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Absorbent / Detoxifying agent. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted, max 10%; 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
Absorbent / Detoxifying agent
Safety Rating
GOOD
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
methane
InChIKey
OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N
SMILES
C
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
EU Max Conc.
10%
US US Status
permitted
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 (Charcoal Powder).
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
6 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
concentration
{"min_concentration_pct": "1.0", "max_concentration_pct": "5.0", "typical_concentration_pct": "2.0", "product_type": "Toothpaste", "function_at_concentration": "Whitening, detox", "source": "Supplier TDS"}
depigmentation
{"cas_number": "7440-44-0", "ingredient_class": "other", "primary_mechanism_of_action": "Mineral active providing UV protection or exfoliation preventing/treating hyperpigmentation", "secondary_mechanisms": "Variable", "molecular_target": "other", "tyrosinase_inhibition_IC50_uM": "varies", "tyrosinase_inhibition_type": "competitive", "melanin_reduction_pct_in_vitro": "25-45", "melanin_reduction_pc…
ecotoxicity
{"biodegradable": "no", "biodegradation_days": "non-biodegradable", "bioaccumulative": "no", "aquatic_toxicity_level": "low", "coral_reef_safe": "yes", "marine_toxicity": "low toxicity", "freshwater_toxicity": "can absorb pollutants", "soil_toxicity": "inert carbon", "endocrine_disruptor": "no", "persistent_organic_pollutant": "no", "microplastic": "no", "nano_particle": "no", "hawaii_banned": "no…
ph_stability
{"optimal_ph_min": "3.0", "optimal_ph_max": "11.0", "stable_ph_min": "3.0", "stable_ph_max": "12.0", "ph_dependent_function": "Adsorbent; detoxifying", "formulation_note": "Very stable over wide pH", "source": "Formulation literature"}
skin_suitability
{"oily_skin": "recommended", "dry_skin": "caution", "sensitive_skin": "acceptable", "combination_skin": "recommended", "normal_skin": "acceptable", "acne_prone": "recommended", "rosacea": "acceptable", "eczema": "caution", "hyperpigmentation": "acceptable", "aging_mature": "acceptable", "dehydrated": "caution", "skin_benefit_primary": "purifying", "skin_benefit_secondary": "detoxifying", "mechanis…
uv_stability
{"uv_stable": "yes", "uv_degradation_rate": "stable", "photosensitizer": "no", "phototoxic": "no", "photoallergic": "no", "requires_uv_protection_packaging": "yes", "color_change_uv": "yes", "odor_change_uv": "yes", "efficacy_loss_uv_pct": "0", "spf_contribution": "no", "uva_protection": "no", "uvb_protection": "no", "photostable_sunscreen": "no", "boost_spf_of_others": "no", "antioxidant_under_uv…
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 (Charcoal Powder).
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 (Charcoal Powder) allowed in the EU?
Activated Charcoal (Charcoal Powder) EU regulatory status: permitted. Maximum allowed concentration: 10%. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Activated Charcoal (Charcoal Powder) do in cosmetics?
Activated Charcoal (Charcoal Powder) functions as: Absorbent / Detoxifying agent. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 7440-44-0.
Is Activated Charcoal (Charcoal Powder) classified as hazardous under GHS?
Activated Charcoal (Charcoal Powder) 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 (Charcoal Powder) used outside cosmetics?
Activated Charcoal (Charcoal Powder) 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 (Charcoal Powder) 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
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MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions
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