Is Caffeic Acid safe in cosmetics?
Caffeic Acid has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Good
Cosmetic Ingredient
Caffeic Acid
Also known as: 3,4-Dihydroxycinnamic acid, Cinnamic acid, 3,4-dihydroxy-, 2-Propenoic acid, 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-, 3-(3,4-Dihydroxy phenyl)-2-propenoic acid, EINECS 206-361-2 (+1 more)
INCI: CAFFEIC ACID
Caffeic Acid (CAS 331-39-5) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as antioxidant, masking. 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 data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 331-39-5 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Caffeic Acid is classified GHS CMR hazard (H315, H319, H335, H351, H361) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
antioxidant, masking
Safety Rating
GOOD
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
(E)-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)prop-2-enoic acid
InChIKey
QAIPRVGONGVQAS-DUXPYHPUSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Naturally occurring hydroxycinnamic acid found in plants; GRAS-adjacent; no FDA restriction for cosmetic use. Broad antioxidant and UV-absorbing activity.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Caffeic Acid.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
IARC Carcinogenicity
International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) monograph evaluation.
IARC Group
2B
Volume
56
Evaluation Year
1992
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.
JPKR Japan/Korea Cosmetics
Korea (Prohibited): Must not be used
Additional Ingredient Properties
5 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
anti_aging
{"anti_aging_claim": "antioxidant-protection, anti-inflammatory", "mechanism_of_action": "Bioactive compound, specialized mechanism", "target_skin_layer": "epidermis, dermis", "collagen_stimulation": "Mild", "elastin_protection": "Mild", "wrinkle_reduction_pct": "8-15", "clinical_study_duration_weeks": "12", "sample_size": "35", "double_blind": "No", "placebo_controlled": "Yes", "published_journal…
anti_pollution
{"cas_number": "331-39-5", "ingredient_class": "antioxidant_pollution_shield", "primary_mechanism": "free_radical_scavenging", "pollution_types_targeted": "PM2_5", "IR_A_protection": "no", "visible_light_protection": "no", "digital_screen_protection_claim": "no", "PAH_neutralization": "no", "ozone_protection": "no", "mitochondrial_protection": "no", "Nrf2_activation": "no", "AhR_pathway_modulation…
antioxidant
{"cas_number": "331-39-5", "antioxidant_class": "polyphenol", "chemical_subclass": "hydroxycinnamic acid", "molecular_weight_daltons": "180.16", "orac_value_umol_te_per_g": "21000", "dpph_radical_scavenging_ic50_ug_per_ml": "10-18", "abts_trolox_equivalent": "1.3", "singlet_oxygen_quenching": "high", "superoxide_dismutase_mimetic": "moderate", "hydroxyl_radical_scavenging": "very high", "lipid_per…
skin_suitability
{"oily_skin": "acceptable", "dry_skin": "acceptable", "sensitive_skin": "acceptable", "combination_skin": "acceptable", "normal_skin": "acceptable", "acne_prone": "acceptable", "rosacea": "acceptable", "eczema": "acceptable", "hyperpigmentation": "acceptable", "aging_mature": "acceptable", "dehydrated": "acceptable", "skin_benefit_primary": "antioxidant", "skin_benefit_secondary": "photoprotective…
uv_stability
{"uv_stable": "partially", "uv_degradation_rate": "moderate", "photosensitizer": "no", "phototoxic": "no", "photoallergic": "no", "requires_uv_protection_packaging": "no", "color_change_uv": "no", "odor_change_uv": "no", "efficacy_loss_uv_pct": "25", "spf_contribution": "no", "uva_protection": "no", "uvb_protection": "no", "photostable_sunscreen": "no", "boost_spf_of_others": "no", "antioxidant_un…
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (3)
Carcinogen Classification
2B, possibly carcinogenic to humans. (L135)
Source: Toxin and Toxin Target Database (T3DB)
Carcinogen Classification
Caffeic acid | Group 2B: Possibly carcinogenic to humans | Volume 56: (1993) Some Naturally Occurring Substances: Food Items and Constituents, Heterocyclic Aromatic Amines and Mycotoxins
Source: International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
Evidence for Carcinogenicity
Evaluation: No data were available on the carcinogenicity of caffeic acid to humans. There is sufficient evidence in experimental animals for the carcinogenicity of caffeic acid. Overall evaluation: Caffeic acid is possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B).
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Antioxidant
Deodorizer
Regulatory List Membership (1)
California Proposition 65 (OEHHA)
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Caffeic Acid.
Regulatory Flags
prop65
Known Synonyms
3,4-Dihydroxycinnamic acid
Cinnamic acid, 3,4-dihydroxy-
2-Propenoic acid, 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-
3-(3,4-Dihydroxy phenyl)-2-propenoic acid
EINECS 206-361-2
UNII-U2S3A33KVM
Chemical Function
Antioxidant
Deodorizer
Regulatory Lists
OEHHA Proposition 65 (3/2019)
OEHHA Proposition 65 (1/2023)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Caffeic Acid allowed in the EU?
Caffeic Acid EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Caffeic Acid do in cosmetics?
Caffeic Acid functions as: antioxidant, masking. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 331-39-5.
Is Caffeic Acid used outside cosmetics?
Caffeic Acid also appears in industrial chemical safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Does Caffeic Acid have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Caffeic Acid is classified GHS CMR hazard (H315, H319, H335, H351, H361) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Compliance Tools
Check Caffeic Acid 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
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