Is Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA safe in cosmetics?
Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: restricted. US status: restricted.
Good
Cosmetic Ingredient
Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA
Also known as: 2-Ethylhexyl-p-dimethyl-aminobenzoate, EINECS 244-289-3, UNII-Z11006CMUZ
INCI: ETHYLHEXYL DIMETHYL PABA
Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA (CAS 21245-02-3) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as UV Filter (UVB absorber). EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted, max 8%. 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 21245-02-3 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA is classified GHS Danger (H315, H319, H335, H360F) in the chemicals database but is restricted in EU cosmetics at max 8%.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status/eu_max; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
UV Filter (UVB absorber)
Safety Rating
GOOD
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
restricted
EU Max Conc.
8%
US US Status
restricted
US Notes
Restricted — listed in FDA OTC Sunscreen Monograph at max 8%; currently classified under Category III (insufficient data for updated GRASE determination) per FDA's 2019 proposed order
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
1 toxicity value from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAEL | =100 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | short-term | EFSA |
Endocrine Disruptor Evidence (Expanded)
Cross-referenced EDC classifications, mechanism data, and dose-response evidence from EDLists, SIN List, and cosmetic-specific detail sources.
Cosmetic-Specific Mechanism
Category: UV filter
Receptor targets: ERα
LOEC: 3.73 µM
EU status: allowed (max 8%)
agonist
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
10 - 100 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
EU CosIng Annex Listing
European Commission CosIng database Annex references per Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009.
Annex VI — Permitted UV Filters
Max: 8%
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.
KR Korea MFDS Annex 2 (Restricted)
Category: UV Filter. Max: 8%.
SA Saudi SFDA (VI - UV Filters)
Max: 0.08.
JPKR Japan/Korea Cosmetics
Japan (Positive (UV Absorber)): max 10.0
Japan (Restricted): max Wash-away: 10% | Leave-on: 10% | Mucosa: 7.0%
Korea (Restricted): max 8%
BRIN Brazil/India Cosmetics
India: Permitted UV Filter · max 0.08
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (5)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP | restricted | Wash-away: 10% | Leave-on: 10% | Mucosa: 7.0% | Wash-away: 10% | Leave-on: 10% | Mucosa: 7.0% |
| CN | permitted_uv_filter | 8 | All cosmetics |
| IN | permitted_uv_filter | 8.0 | sunscreen and other cosmetic products |
| BR | permitted_uv_filter | 8 | Sunscreen products |
| ASEAN | permitted_uv_filter | 8% | - |
Additional Ingredient Properties
1 property record from structured ingredient metadata.
sunscreen_uv
{"cas_number": "21245-02-3", "uv_filter_type": "organic_UVB", "chemical_class": "other", "absorption_spectrum_nm_range": "290-315", "peak_absorption_wavelength_nm": "311", "molar_extinction_coefficient": "19200", "critical_wavelength_nm": "313", "UVA_PF": "negligible", "SPF_contribution_per_percent": "6.5", "photostability_rating": "moderate", "photodegradation_half_life_hours": "3.8", "photostabi…
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Chemical reaction regulator
Photosensitizers
UV stabilizer
Regulatory List Membership (2)
EU Regulated in Personal Care
EU CosIng Cosmetics Ingredient Database
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA.
Regulatory Flags
eu_cosing_listed
Known Synonyms
2-Ethylhexyl-p-dimethyl-aminobenzoate
EINECS 244-289-3
UNII-Z11006CMUZ
Chemical Function
UV stabilizer
Photosensitizers
Regulatory Lists
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
Canada; pharmaceutical
Europe; Personal care
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
PADIMATE O
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL1323699
Max Phase
-1
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA allowed in the EU?
Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: 8%. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA do in cosmetics?
Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA functions as: UV Filter (UVB absorber). It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 21245-02-3.
Is Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA used outside cosmetics?
Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA 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 Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA is classified GHS Danger (H315, H319, H335, H360F) in the chemicals database but is restricted in EU cosmetics at max 8%.
Compliance Tools
Check Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA 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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