Is Diamylhydroquinone safe in cosmetics?
Diamylhydroquinone has a safety rating of "POOR" in our database. EU status: prohibited. US status: restricted. 1 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Diamylhydroquinone
Also known as: 1,4-Benzenediol, 2,5-bis(1,1-dimethylpropyl)-, 3-06-00-04748, Antage DAH, 2,5-Bis(1,1-dimethylpropyl)hydroquinone, BRN 2214556 (+12 more)
INCI: DIAMYLHYDROQUINONE
Diamylhydroquinone (CAS 79-74-3) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Antioxidant (polymerisation inhibitor / stabiliser). NOAEL 150 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: prohibited. 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 79-74-3 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Diamylhydroquinone is prohibited in EU cosmetics but has active industrial GHS classifications (H302, H317, H400, H410, H371).
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
Antioxidant (polymerisation inhibitor / stabiliser)
Safety Rating
POOR
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
2,5-bis(2-methylbutan-2-yl)benzene-1,4-diol
InChIKey
CZNRFEXEPBITDS-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
prohibited
US US Status
restricted
US Notes
Insufficient data — CIR Expert Panel concluded data insufficient to support safety of di-tert-alkylhydroquinone derivatives in cosmetics
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Diamylhydroquinone.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
1 study endpoint found for Diamylhydroquinone. 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 | =150 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | subchronic | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Diamylhydroquinone 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
100 - 1,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Antioxidant
Heat stabilizer
Regulatory List Membership (1)
FDA Indirect Food Contact Additives
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Diamylhydroquinone.
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Diamylhydroquinone by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
1
Lowest NOAEL
150 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
150 mg/kg bw/day
ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID
Known Synonyms
1,4-Benzenediol, 2,5-bis(1,1-dimethylpropyl)-
3-06-00-04748
Antage DAH
2,5-Bis(1,1-dimethylpropyl)hydroquinone
BRN 2214556
2,5-Di-tert-amylbenzene-1,4-diol
2,5-Di-tert-amylhydroquinone
2,5-Di-tert-pentylbenzene-1,4-diol
EINECS 201-222-2
Hydroquinone, 2,5-di-tert-amyl-
Hydroquinone, 2,5-di-t-pentyl-
NSC 455
Santouar A
Santovar A
UNII-19O4J76TTK
Lowinox AH 25
2,5-Di-tert-pentylhydroquinone
Chemical Function
Antioxidant
Heat stabilizer
Regulatory Lists
Indirect additives food contact (10/2018)
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
CHEMBL594135
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Diamylhydroquinone allowed in the EU?
Diamylhydroquinone EU regulatory status: prohibited. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Diamylhydroquinone do in cosmetics?
Diamylhydroquinone functions as: Antioxidant (polymerisation inhibitor / stabiliser). It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 79-74-3.
What is the NOAEL for Diamylhydroquinone?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Diamylhydroquinone is =150 mg/kg bw/day based on a subchronic study via oral route in Rat. Source: ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID.
Is Diamylhydroquinone used outside cosmetics?
Diamylhydroquinone 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 Diamylhydroquinone have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Diamylhydroquinone is prohibited in EU cosmetics but has active industrial GHS classifications (H302, H317, H400, H410, H371).
Compliance Tools
Check Diamylhydroquinone 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
2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Excellent
Same category
Softener and conditioner
3-Glyceryl Ascorbate
Excellent
Same category
Antioxidant, Humectant, Skin Conditio...
Allantoin Ascorbate
Excellent
Same category
Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning, Skin ...
Aloe Vera Extract
Excellent
Same category
Skin Conditioning, Antioxidant
Althaea Officinalis Callus Culture Extract
Excellent
Same category
Antioxidant, skin protectant
Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Oil
Excellent
Same category
Emollient, skin conditioning, antioxi...
1,2,4-Benzenetriacetate
Poor
Similar safety
Hair dye precursor (triacetyl ester o...
1,2,4-Trihydroxybenzene
Poor
Similar safety
Hair colorant (auto-oxidative dye)
1,3-Bis-(Isocyanatomethyl) Cyclohexane
Poor
Similar safety
Monomer / cross-linking agent used in...
1,4-Butanediol
Poor
Similar safety
Solvent, humectant, viscosity control...
1,6-Hexamethylene Diisocyanate (HDI)
Poor
Similar safety
Monomer and crosslinker in polymer sy...
1,6-Hexanediamine
Poor
Similar safety
Industrial chemical (nylon monomer); ...
5-Methyl-Alpha-Ionone
Good
Chemical family
Fragrance (perfuming)
ACRYLAMIDE
Moderate
Chemical family
Not Reported
ACRYLIC ACID
Good
Chemical family
Nail Conditioning
Is Diamylhydroquinone 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 Diamylhydroquinone in your formulation.