Is Eugenol safe in cosmetics?
Eugenol has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: restricted. US status: permitted. 4 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Eugenol
Also known as: 4-Allylcatechol 2-methyl ether, 5-Allylguaiacol, BRN 1366759, Caswell No. 456BC, EINECS 202-589-1 (+15 more)
INCI: EUGENOL
Eugenol (CAS 97-53-0) is a cosmetic fragrance functioning as fragrance; antimicrobial; anesthetic. NOAEL 525 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted, max 10 ppm in leave-on products, 100 ppm in rinse-off products. 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 97-53-0 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
fragrance; antimicrobial; anesthetic
Safety Rating
MODERATE
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
restricted
EU Max Conc.
10 ppm in leave-on products, 100 ppm in rinse-off products
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
No US federal individual fragrance ingredient disclosure requirement; listed as fragrance only under FDA rules
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Eugenol.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
4 study endpoints found for Eugenol. 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 | 25 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Special Toxicology Study | COSMOS_DB |
| NOAEL | 410.5 mg/kg bw/day | oral | mouse | Short Term Toxicity | COSMOS_DB |
| NOAEL | 500 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Short Term Toxicity | COSMOS_DB |
| NOAEL | 638 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Carcinogenicity | COSMOS_DB |
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Eugenol across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
Sensitization Profile
Contact sensitization data for Eugenol based on clinical patch test studies and IFRA standards.
Sensitization Rate
moderate
Allergen Class
fragrance
EU Allergen Listed
yes
Patch Test Positive Rate
1.5%
Cross-reactivity Group
balsam-of-peru-group
Reaction Type
contact-dermatitis
IFRA Restricted
— max 0.5% in finished products
Source: ESSCA/IVDK
Dermal Penetration Profile
Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of Eugenol, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.
Absorption %
22-35%
Penetration Level
dermis
Penetration Depth
epidermis/dermis
Molecular Weight
164.2 Da
Log P
2.27
Systemic Absorption
yes
Topical Bioavailability
15-30%
Safety Margin Factor
very-high
Vehicle Dependent
Yes — absorption varies by formulation
Source: SCCS/1459/11, IFRA
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
10 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LD50 | =1930 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | EFSA |
| LD50 | =1930 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | EFSA |
| NOAEL | =100 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | EFSA |
| NOAEL | =100 mg/kg-day | Rabbit | oral | - | EFSA |
| NOAEL | =100 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | EFSA |
| NOAEL | =100 mg/kg-day | Rabbit | oral | - | EFSA |
| NOEL | =250 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | EFSA |
| NOAEL | =300 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | chronic | EFSA |
| NOAEL | =300 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | chronic | EFSA |
| ADI | <=2.5 mg/kg | Human | oral | - | WHO JECFA ADI |
IARC Carcinogenicity
International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) monograph evaluation.
IARC Group
3
Volume
36, Sup 7
Evaluation Year
1987
Sensitization AOP Dashboard
Adverse Outcome Pathway data across 5 assays (DPRA, KeratinoSens, hCLAT, LLNA, NESIL) aggregated from public sources.
DPRA Cys %
32.1%
DPRA Lys %
10.2%
KeratinoSens IC50
1500.25 µM
hCLAT CV75
150 µg/mL
LLNA EC3
12.7%
NESIL
4966 µg/cm²
LLNA: Weak (1B)
GHS: 1B
Human: positive
Source: LLNA: Estrada et al. (2003) | Lalko & Api (2006); DPRA: Bauch et al. 2011 [DOI:10.1016/j.tiv.2011.05.030] | Nukada et al. 2013 [DOI:10.1016/j.tiv.2012.11.006]; KS: Bauch et al. 2011 [DOI:10.1016/j.tiv.2011.05.030] | Natsch et al. 2011 [DOI:10.1021/tx2003678]; hCLAT: Bauch et al. 2011 [DOI:10.1016/j.tiv.2011.05.030] | Ashikaga et al. 2010 [DOI:10.1177/026119291003800403]; HPPT: [103] Greif N (1967): Cutaneous safety of fragrance material as measured by the maximization test.
HRIPT Human Patch Test Studies
5 human repeat insult patch tests aggregated from dermatological literature.
| Test Type | N | Sensitized | Dose µg/cm² | NESIL µg/cm² | Potency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HRIPT | 108 | 0 | 5906 | 5906 | non-sensitizer |
| HRIPT | 114 | 0 | 2362 | 2362 | non-sensitizer |
| HRIPT | 104 | 0 | 5906 | 5906 | non-sensitizer |
| HRIPT | - | 0 | 5906 | 5906 | weak |
| HMT | - | 0 | 4965.52 | - | - |
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: fragrance
Receptor targets: ERα (limited)
LOEC: 100 µM
EU status: allowed (allergen labeling)
weak agonist
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
1,000 - 10,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
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.
SA Saudi SFDA (III - Restricted)
BRIN Brazil/India Cosmetics
Brazil: Restricted (Fragrance Allergen) · max >0.001% leave-on / >0.01% rinse-off requires labeling
India: Restricted
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (1)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| GCC | restricted | 0.001 | Leave-on products |
Expanded Dermal Absorption Data
Cross-database dermal penetration: EPA Dryad physics-based, Roberts Mendeley permeation, and SCCS-aggregated measured values.
EPA Dryad Skin Absorption (physics-based)
MW: 164.204
LogP: 2.27242
Kp epidermis: 0.02785 cm/h
% dose epidermis: 0.9%
% dose stratum corneum: 0.85%
% dose dermis: 0.91%
Source: EPA_Dryad_Skin_Absorption_2024
Roberts Skin Permeation (Mendeley 2022)
MW: 164.2
Log Kow: 2.2
Log Kp: -1.5552439656330046
Log Jmax: -6.319674740051083
Source: Roberts_Cheruvu_Mendeley_2022
IFRA Concentration Limits (12 Product Categories)
International Fragrance Association standards per product category. Restriction: Restriction. Effective: 2024-01-01.
| Category | Max % | Category | Max % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (Lip products) | 0.5% | 7a (Deodorant – not spray) | 1.0% |
| 2 (Body spray) | 0.15% | 7b (Deodorant spray) | 1.0% |
| 3 (Body cream) | 0.5% | 8 (Face cream) | 0.17% |
| 4 (Fine fragrance) | 2.0% | 9 (Soap) | 2.5% |
| 5a (Body lotion) | 0.5% | 10a (Household – non-spray) | 2.5% |
| 5b (Face cream leave-on) | 0.5% | 10b (Household – spray) | No Restriction% |
| 5c (Hand cream) | 0.5% | 11a (Intimate – leave-on) | 0.17% |
| 5d (Baby cream) | 0.17% | 11b (Intimate – rinse) | 0.17% |
| 6 (Mouthwash) | 0.5% | 12 (Not for consumer exposure) | No Restriction% |
Additional Ingredient Properties
10 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
acne
{"cas_number": "97-53-0", "anti_acne_mechanism": "antibacterial", "comedogenicity_rating_0_to_5": "2", "acne_type_efficacy": "inflammatory", "p_acnes_mic_ug_per_ml": "100-500", "sebum_reduction_pct_clinical": "5-10", "prescription_required_usa": "No", "otc_drug_monograph_category": "No", "max_otc_concentration_pct": "Max 1%", "japan_quasi_drug_anti_acne": "No", "korea_functional_cosmetic_acne": "N…
allergen_detail
{"eu_allergen_listed": "yes", "allergen_class": "fragrance", "cross_reactivity_group": "balsam-of-peru-group", "patch_test_frequency_pct": "1.5", "sensitization_rate": "moderate", "common_reaction_type": "contact-dermatitis", "ifra_restricted": "yes", "ifra_max_level_pct": "0.5", "source": "ESSCA/IVDK"}
concentration
{"min_concentration_pct": "0.01", "max_concentration_pct": "0.3", "typical_concentration_pct": "0.1", "product_type": "Toothpaste", "function_at_concentration": "Fragrance, antimicrobial", "source": "EU Cosmetics Regulation (labeling required)"}
cost_pricing
{"cost_tier": "mid-range", "estimated_cost_per_kg_usd_low": "30", "estimated_cost_per_kg_usd_high": "55", "natural_premium_markup_pct": "0", "organic_certified_premium_pct": "0", "supply_chain_volatility": "low", "primary_source_region": "Indonesia/India", "bulk_discount_threshold_kg": "100", "seasonal_price_variation": "medium", "commodity_or_specialty": "specialty", "substitute_ingredients": "Cl…
deodorant
{"cas_number": "97-53-0", "ingredient_class": "antimicrobial_deodorant", "mechanism_of_action": "bacterial_growth_inhibition", "antiperspirant_efficacy_sweat_reduction_pct": "0", "deodorant_efficacy_hours": "8-12", "odor_reduction_pct": "50-70", "bacteriostatic": "yes", "bactericidal": "yes", "target_bacteria": "broad_spectrum", "microbiome_impact": "broad", "axillary_microbiome_effect": "varies b…
dermal_absorption
{"molecular_weight_da": "164.2", "log_p_value": "2.27", "skin_penetration_level": "dermis", "penetration_depth": "epidermis/dermis", "absorption_pct": "22-35", "systemic_absorption": "yes", "penetration_enhancer": "yes", "occlusion_effect": "no", "vehicle_dependent": "yes", "skin_barrier_effect": "neutral", "bioavailability_topical_pct": "15-30", "safety_margin_factor": "very-high", "source": "SCC…
ecotoxicity
{"biodegradable": "yes", "biodegradation_days": "28-60", "bioaccumulative": "no", "aquatic_toxicity_level": "moderate", "coral_reef_safe": "yes", "marine_toxicity": "moderate-high toxicity", "freshwater_toxicity": "toxic to fish", "endocrine_disruptor": "no", "persistent_organic_pollutant": "no", "microplastic": "no", "nano_particle": "no", "hawaii_banned": "no", "eu_restricted_environmental": "ye…
fragrance
{"cas_number": "97-53-0", "ingredient_class": "natural_isolate", "chemical_class": "phenol", "odor_family": "spicy", "odor_description": "Warm, spicy clove, carnation-like", "odor_strength": "very_strong", "odor_tenacity_hours": "48.0", "top_note": "no", "heart_note": "yes", "base_note": "yes", "blending_factor_1_10": "9.0", "threshold_of_detection_ppb": "6.0", "molecular_weight_Da": "164.2", "boi…
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Biocide
Deodorizer
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Humectant
Regulatory List Membership (6)
EU Regulated in Personal Care
EU Restricted for Children (Cosmetics)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Consumer Product Chemical
EU CosIng Cosmetics Ingredient Database
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Eugenol.
Regulatory Flags
eu-26-allergen
label-declaration-required
contact-allergen
natural-origin
eu_children_restricted
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
eu_cosing_listed
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Eugenol by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
16
Lowest NOAEL
25 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
638 mg/kg bw/day
COSMOS_DB
ECHA_REACH_reach_study_results_dossiers_23-05-2023.zip
Known Synonyms
4-Allylcatechol 2-methyl ether
5-Allylguaiacol
BRN 1366759
Caswell No. 456BC
EINECS 202-589-1
EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 102701
1,3,4-Eugenol
FEMA No. 2467
FEMA Number 2467
NCI-C50453
Synthetic eugenol
2-Metoksy-4-allilofenol
UNII-3T8H1794QW
1-Hydroxy-2-methoxy-4-allylbenzene
1-Hydroxy-2-methoxy-4-prop-2-enylbenzene
1-Hydroxy-2-methoxy-4-propenylbenzene
1-allyl-3-methoxy-4-hydroxybenzene
1-allyl-4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzene
2-Methoxy-4-(2-propen-1-yl)phenol
2-Methoxy-4-(3-propenyl)phenol
Chemical Function
Fragrance
Regulatory Lists
Europe
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Europe; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Australia
Cleaning products and household care - air freshener; detected; Europe; Vehicle - car interior - auto air freshener
Europe; Personal care - body hygiene - hand soap
active_ingredient; Europe; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
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
EUGENOL
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL42710
Max Phase
0.5
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Eugenol allowed in the EU?
Eugenol EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: 10 ppm in leave-on products, 100 ppm in rinse-off products. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Eugenol do in cosmetics?
Eugenol functions as: fragrance; antimicrobial; anesthetic. It is classified as a Fragrance in our database. CAS number: 97-53-0.
What is the NOAEL for Eugenol?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Eugenol is 25 mg/kg bw/day based on a Special Toxicology Study study via oral route in rat. A total of 4 study endpoints are available. Source: COSMOS_DB.
Is Eugenol used outside cosmetics?
Eugenol 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.
Compliance Tools
Check Eugenol 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
Compare limits across jurisdictions
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