Is Ethyl Acetate safe in cosmetics?
Ethyl Acetate has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Ethyl Acetate
Also known as: Caswell No. 429, EINECS 205-500-4, EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 044003, Ethyl ester, FEMA No. 2414 (+15 more)
INCI: ETHYL ACETATE
Ethyl Acetate (CAS 141-78-6) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Solvent, volatile carrier, fast-evaporating solvent for nail polish. 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 141-78-6 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Ethyl Acetate is classified GHS Danger (H225, H319, H336, H320, H332, H335, H370) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
Solvent, volatile carrier, fast-evaporating solvent for nail polish
Safety Rating
EXCELLENT
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
ethyl acetate
InChIKey
XEKOWRVHYACXOJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
CIR assessed ethyl acetate as safe in cosmetics. FDA GRAS status as food additive (21 CFR 184.1245). OSHA nail salon VOC ventilation requirements apply. Characterized in 2025 nail formulation review as having a lower toxicity profile compared to aromatic solvents. Faster evaporation rate than butyl acetate, typically blended to control nail polish dry time and film quality.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Ethyl Acetate.
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
FlamFlameExcl markWarn
Hazard Statements
Highly flammable liquid and vapour May cause drowsiness or dizziness
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is mildly irritating to the eyes and respiratory tract. The substance may cause effects on the central nervous system. Exposure far above the OEL could cause lowering of consciousness.
Long-term Exposure Effects
The substance defats the skin, which may cause dryness or cracking.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation of its vapour.
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Danger
Pictograms
FlammableHarmful / Irritant
Hazard Class and Category
Flam. Liq. 2; STOT SE 3; Eye Irrit. 2
Hazard Statements
- H225 Highly flammable liquid and vapour
- H336 May cause drowsiness or dizziness
- H319 Causes serious eye irritation
Inserted via ATP: CLP00
HRIPT Human Patch Test Studies
1 human repeat insult patch test aggregated from dermatological literature.
| Test Type | N | Sensitized | Dose µg/cm² | NESIL µg/cm² | Potency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HMT | - | 0 | 6480 | - | - |
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
100,000 - 1,000,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Hazard classification: Restricted (Annex XVII)
Typical Use Concentrations
Reported concentration ranges per product category from SCCS/CIR/industry sources.
| Product Category | Typical Range | Max Reported | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nail Polish Remover | 50–90 | 100 | CIR/VCRP |
Additional Ingredient Properties
2 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
ecotoxicity
{"biodegradable": "yes", "biodegradation_days": "7-14", "bioaccumulative": "no", "aquatic_toxicity_level": "moderate", "coral_reef_safe": "yes", "marine_toxicity": "moderate aquatic toxicity", "freshwater_toxicity": "moderate fish toxicity", "endocrine_disruptor": "no", "persistent_organic_pollutant": "no", "microplastic": "no", "nano_particle": "no", "hawaii_banned": "no", "eu_restricted_environm…
fragrance_ifra
{"cas_number": "141-78-6", "ifra_amendment_number": "49", "ifra_restriction_type": "Restricted", "ifra_max_use_level_category_1_pct": "0.20", "ifra_max_use_level_category_4_pct": "3.0", "ifra_max_use_level_category_7_pct": "0.50", "ifra_max_use_level_category_11_pct": "0.100", "eu_allergen_declaration_required": "No", "eu_26_allergens_list": "No", "sccs_opinion_available": "Yes", "sensitization_po…
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (2)
ICSC Safety Card
0367
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Skin Eye Respiratory Irritation
Ethyl acetate vapor is irritating to the eyes and respiratory passages of man at concentrations above 400 ppm. ... Due to its irritating properties, employees will not voluntarily remain in such high concentrations. ... This substance is a defatting agent, and prolonged exposure may cause irritation of the skin. Painful conjunctival irritation may occur from splashes in the eye. | Irritating to mu
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Regulatory (2)
JECFA Number
27
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
JECFA Evaluation
ACETIC ACID ETHYL ESTER | 1996 | 0-25 mg/kg bw (1967) | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent. The 1967 ADI of 0-25 mg/kg bw was maintained at the forty-sixth meeting (1996). | TRS 868-JECFA 46/21 | See TRS 868-JECFA 46/64
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Adhesion/cohesion promoter
Dye
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Solvent
Regulatory List Membership (3)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Consumer Product Chemical
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Ethyl Acetate.
Regulatory Flags
nail-polish-solvent
volatile-ester
cir-affirmed
fda-gras-food-additive
lower-toxicity-vs-toluene
3-free-compatible
preferred-solvent
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Ethyl Acetate by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
18
Lowest NOAEL
900 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
39600 mg/kg bw/day
ECHA_REACH_reach_study_results_dossiers_23-05-2023.zip
Known Synonyms
Caswell No. 429
EINECS 205-500-4
EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 044003
Ethyl ester
FEMA No. 2414
RCRA waste number U112
Aethylacetat
Ethylacetaat
Ethyle (acetate d')
Ethylester kyseliny octove
Octan etylu
UNII-76845O8NMZ
1-acetoxyethane
AcOEt
Acetic-acid-ethylester
Acetyl ester
CH3-CO-O-CH3
Essigester
Essigsaeureethylester
EtOAc
Chemical Function
Fragrance
Solvent
Regulatory Lists
Arts and crafts/Office supplies - general arts and crafts supplies - arts and crafts adhesive; Europe
Arts and crafts/Office supplies; Europe
inert_ingredient; Pesticides
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Toys and children's products
consumer_product; detected
consumer_product; Europe
consumer_product; detected; Europe
air; Cleaning products and household care - laundry and fabric treatment; detected; emissions
air; detected; emissions; Personal care
air; Cleaning products and household care; detected; emissions
air; Cleaning products and household care - air freshener; detected; emissions
detected; Europe; Vehicle - car interior
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Vehicle - car interior
detected; Europe; Vehicle - car interior
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Vehicle - car interior
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Vehicle - car interior
Cleaning products and household care - oven - oven cleaner; detected; Europe
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.
Compound
ETHYL ACETATE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL14152
Max Phase
-1
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ethyl Acetate allowed in the EU?
Ethyl Acetate EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Ethyl Acetate do in cosmetics?
Ethyl Acetate functions as: Solvent, volatile carrier, fast-evaporating solvent for nail polish. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 141-78-6.
Is Ethyl Acetate classified as hazardous under GHS?
Ethyl Acetate carries a GHS signal word of "DANGER". Hazard statements: Highly flammable liquid and vapour May cause drowsiness or dizziness. 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 Ethyl Acetate used outside cosmetics?
Ethyl Acetate 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 Ethyl Acetate have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Ethyl Acetate is classified GHS Danger (H225, H319, H336, H320, H332, H335, H370) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Compliance Tools
Check Ethyl Acetate compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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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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