Is Ammonium Hydroxide safe in cosmetics?
Ammonium Hydroxide has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: restricted. US status: permitted.
Ammonium Hydroxide
Also known as: (NH4)(OH), Ammonium hydroxide ((NH4)(OH)), Ammonia water 29%, Aquammonia, Caswell No. 044 (+12 more)
INCI: AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE
Ammonium Hydroxide (CAS 1336-21-6) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as pH adjuster, buffering agent, denaturant. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted, max 6% as NH3; 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 food safety data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 1336-21-6 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Ammonium Hydroxide is classified GHS Danger (H314, H318, H335, H400, H302, H331, H290, H371) in the chemicals database but is restricted in EU cosmetics at max 6% as NH3.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status/eu_max; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
pH adjuster, buffering agent, denaturant
Safety Rating
MODERATE
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
azanium hydroxide
InChIKey
VHUUQVKOLVNVRT-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
restricted
EU Max Conc.
6% as NH3
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
FDA GRAS as direct food ingredient per 21 CFR 184.1139. Classified as skin protectant under OTC drug framework but FDA determined inadequate data to establish GRASE for that indication. Not a UV filter; no sunscreen relevance. VCRP 2017 data: 1,354 cosmetic products; highest concentration 12.5% in rinse-off hair dyes, 1.5% in leave-on face/neck products. CIR 2018 final conclusion: safe as used in hair dyes/colors and safe in cosmetics applied directly to skin at present practices of use and concentration when formulated to be non-irritating.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Ammonium Hydroxide.
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
CorrExcl markWarnEnviroAqua
Hazard Statements
May be osive to metals Harmful if swallowed Causes severe skin burns and eye damage May cause respiratory irritation Very toxic to aquatic life
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is corrosive to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. Corrosive on ingestion. Inhalation of high concentrations of the vapour may cause laryngeal oedema, inflammation of the respiratory tract and pneumonia. Exposure could cause asphyxiation due to swelling in the throat. The effects may be delayed.
Long-term Exposure Effects
Repeated or prolonged inhalation may cause effects on the lungs.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation of its aerosol or vapour and by ingestion.
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Danger
Pictograms
CorrosiveEnvironmental Hazard
Hazard Class and Category
Skin Corr. 1B; Aquatic Acute 1
Hazard Statements
- H314 Causes severe skin burns and eye damage
- H400 Very toxic to aquatic life
Specific Concentration Limits / M-factors
STOT SE 3; H335: C ≥ 5.0%
Inserted via ATP: CLP00
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
Ceased manufacture
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Hazard classification: Restricted (Annex XVII)
Expanded Jurisdictional Detail
Additional regulatory detail beyond the 7-jurisdiction summary: Saudi SFDA, Korea MFDS, ASEAN ACD, Japan/Korea, Brazil/India, and cross-jurisdictional restriction entries.
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (1)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN | restricted | 6 | Hair products |
Typical Use Concentrations
Reported concentration ranges per product category from SCCS/CIR/industry sources.
| Product Category | Typical Range | Max Reported | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent Hair Color | 1–5 | 10 | CIR/VCRP |
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (2)
ICSC Safety Card
0215
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Skin Eye Respiratory Irritation
Ammonium hydroxide causes extremely painful irritation of all mucous membranes. | BOTH LIQ & VAPOR EXTREMELY IRRITATING, ESP TO EYES.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Regulatory (1)
JECFA Evaluation
AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE | 1965 | NOT LIMITED | NMRS 40/TRS 339-JECFA 9/16 | FAS 67.29/NMRS 40A,B,C-JECFA 9/159
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Adhesion/cohesion promoter
Binder
Cleaning agent
Diluent
Leavening agent
No specific technical function
Preservative
Solvent
Stabilizing agent
Surface modifier
Regulatory List Membership (2)
EPA Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Ammonium Hydroxide.
Regulatory Flags
eu-annex-iii
restricted
ph-adjuster
denaturant
irritant-potential
hair-dye
labeling-required
cir-reviewed
endogenous-metabolite
concentration-dependent-safety
epa_safer_alternative
fda_food_additive
Known Synonyms
(NH4)(OH)
Ammonium hydroxide ((NH4)(OH))
Ammonia water 29%
Aquammonia
Caswell No. 044
EINECS 215-647-6
EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 005301
Household ammonia
Ammoniumhydroxid
E527
NH4OH
agua de amoniaco
ammonia aqueous
ammonia solution
ammoniaque
hidroxido de amonio
hydroxyde d'ammonium
Chemical Function
pH regulating agent
Solvent
Surfactant (surface active agent)
Binder
Regulatory Lists
Arts and crafts/Office supplies - general arts and crafts supplies - arts and crafts paint; Europe
Europe; Vehicle - car interior
Europe; Specialty occupational products
inert_ingredient; Pesticides
Europe; Vehicle - car interior
Australia; Food and drug - smoking-related products
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
SCIL (9/2019)
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Europe; Pesticides
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in food safety data.
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
Ammonium hydroxide
E Number
E527
ADI
NOT LIMITED mg/kg bw
Food Category
preservative
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ammonium Hydroxide allowed in the EU?
Ammonium Hydroxide EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: 6% as NH3. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Ammonium Hydroxide do in cosmetics?
Ammonium Hydroxide functions as: pH adjuster, buffering agent, denaturant. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 1336-21-6.
Is Ammonium Hydroxide classified as hazardous under GHS?
Ammonium Hydroxide carries a GHS signal word of "DANGER". Hazard statements: May be osive to metals Harmful if swallowed Causes severe skin burns and eye damage May cause respiratory irritation Very toxic to aquatic life. 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 Ammonium Hydroxide used outside cosmetics?
Ammonium Hydroxide also appears in industrial chemical safety and food safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Does Ammonium Hydroxide have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Ammonium Hydroxide is classified GHS Danger (H314, H318, H335, H400, H302, H331, H290, H371) in the chemicals database but is restricted in EU cosmetics at max 6% as NH3.
Compliance Tools
Check Ammonium Hydroxide compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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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
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