Is Ferulic Acid safe in cosmetics?
Ferulic Acid has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted. 1 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Ferulic Acid
Also known as: EINECS 214-490-0, 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy cinnamic acid, UNII-AVM951ZWST
INCI: FERULIC ACID
Ferulic Acid (CAS 1135-24-6) is a cosmetic antioxidant functioning as Antioxidant; AhR pathway modulator; vitamin C+E stabilizer and efficacy. NOAEL 25 mg/kg bw/day (PDF-verified against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted, max No specific concentration limit; used typically at 0.5–1%. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety and food safety data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 1135-24-6 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
Antioxidant; AhR pathway modulator; vitamin C+E stabilizer and efficacy potentiator; UV-absorbing phenolic acid; anti-pollution active; collagen synthesis support
Safety Rating
EXCELLENT
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
EU Max Conc.
No specific concentration limit; used typically at 0.5–1%
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
CIR Expert Panel assessed safe as used; no concentration restrictions for cosmetic use; used extensively in combination vitamin C serums and sunscreen formulations
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Ferulic Acid.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
1 study endpoint found for Ferulic Acid. 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 | =2000 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | short-term | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Ferulic Acid across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
Dermal Penetration Profile
Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of Ferulic Acid, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.
Absorption %
10-18%
Penetration Level
epidermis
Penetration Depth
epidermis
Molecular Weight
194.2 Da
Log P
1.51
Systemic Absorption
minimal
Topical Bioavailability
6-14%
Safety Margin Factor
moderate
Vehicle Dependent
Yes — absorption varies by formulation
Source: J Invest Dermatol 2005
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
2 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAEL | =2000 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | short-term | ECHA IUCLID |
| NOEL | =500 ppm | Rat | oral | - | ECHA IUCLID |
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Intermediate
Tonnage Band
Intermediate use only
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.
JPKR Japan/Korea Cosmetics
Japan (Positive (UV Absorber)): max 10.0
Japan (Restricted): max Wash-away: 10% | Leave-on: 10% | Mucosa: Prohibited
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (1)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP | restricted | Wash-away: 10% | Leave-on: 10% | Mucosa: Prohibited | Wash-away: 10% | Leave-on: 10% | Mucosa: Prohibited |
Typical Use Concentrations
Reported concentration ranges per product category from SCCS/CIR/industry sources.
| Product Category | Typical Range | Max Reported | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serum | 0.1–1 | 1 | CIR/Industry |
Additional Ingredient Properties
10 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
acne
{"cas_number": "1135-24-6", "anti_acne_mechanism": "anti_inflammatory", "comedogenicity_rating_0_to_5": "0", "acne_type_efficacy": "inflammatory", "sebum_reduction_pct_clinical": "0-10", "prescription_required_usa": "No", "otc_drug_monograph_category": "No", "max_otc_concentration_pct": "No limit", "japan_quasi_drug_anti_acne": "No", "korea_functional_cosmetic_acne": "No", "eu_cosmetic_restriction…
anti_aging
{"anti_aging_claim": "antioxidant-protection, anti-wrinkle, brightening", "mechanism_of_action": "Antioxidant, stabilizes vitamin C, UV protection, anti-inflammatory", "target_skin_layer": "epidermis", "collagen_stimulation": "Mild", "elastin_protection": "Moderate", "wrinkle_reduction_pct": "10-18", "clinical_study_duration_weeks": "12", "sample_size": "11", "double_blind": "No", "placebo_control…
anti_pollution
{"cas_number": "1135-24-6", "ingredient_class": "Nrf2_activator/antioxidant_pollution_shield", "primary_mechanism": "free_radical_scavenging", "pollution_types_targeted": "PM2_5/UV_A/UV_B/ozone", "IR_A_protection": "no", "visible_light_protection": "no", "digital_screen_protection_claim": "no", "PAH_neutralization": "no", "ozone_protection": "yes", "lipid_peroxidation_inhibition_pct": "70-85", "DN…
antioxidant
{"cas_number": "1135-24-6", "antioxidant_class": "polyphenol", "chemical_subclass": "hydroxycinnamic acid", "molecular_weight_daltons": "194.18", "orac_value_umol_te_per_g": "23500", "dpph_radical_scavenging_ic50_ug_per_ml": "12-20", "abts_trolox_equivalent": "1.2", "singlet_oxygen_quenching": "high", "superoxide_dismutase_mimetic": "moderate", "hydroxyl_radical_scavenging": "very high", "lipid_pe…
baby_pediatric
{"cas_number": "1135-24-6", "ingredient_class": "other", "pediatric_safety_rating": "acceptable", "minimum_age_months": "12", "neonatal_safe": "no", "premature_infant_safe": "insufficient_data", "skin_barrier_maturity_consideration": "Antioxidant, adult use", "transepidermal_absorption_risk_pediatric": "low", "systemic_exposure_concern_pediatric": "low", "dose_per_kg_body_weight_concern": "Appropr…
comedogenicity_detail
{"comedogenicity_rating": "0", "irritancy_rating": "1", "skin_type_suitability": "all,combination,normal,mature", "acne_safe": "yes", "source": "Antioxidant"}
concentration
{"min_concentration_pct": "0.1", "max_concentration_pct": "0.5", "typical_concentration_pct": "0.3", "product_type": "Moisturizer", "function_at_concentration": "Antioxidant", "source": "Clinical literature"}
cost_pricing
{"cost_tier": "premium", "estimated_cost_per_kg_usd_low": "120", "estimated_cost_per_kg_usd_high": "220", "natural_premium_markup_pct": "140", "organic_certified_premium_pct": "240", "supply_chain_volatility": "medium", "primary_source_region": "China/Japan", "synthetic_vs_natural_cost_ratio": "2.0", "bulk_discount_threshold_kg": "10", "seasonal_price_variation": "medium", "commodity_or_specialty"…
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Antioxidant
Biocide
Flavouring and nutrient
Preservative
UV stabilizer
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Ferulic Acid.
Regulatory Flags
anti-pollution
ahr-modulator
ce-ferulic-triad
vitamin-c-stabilizer
vitamin-e-stabilizer
uv-absorber
phenolic-acid
anti-aging
dual-purpose-active
endocrine_disruptor
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Ferulic Acid by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
1
Lowest NOAEL
2000 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
2000 mg/kg bw/day
ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID
Known Synonyms
EINECS 214-490-0
4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy cinnamic acid
UNII-AVM951ZWST
Chemical Function
Biocide
Antioxidant
Preservative
UV stabilizer
Flavouring and nutrient
Regulatory Lists
Europe
Canada; Personal care; Substances in PCP - Canada (4/2014)
Canada; pharmaceutical
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in food safety data.
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
Ferulic acid
Food Category
preservative
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ferulic Acid allowed in the EU?
Ferulic Acid EU regulatory status: permitted. Maximum allowed concentration: No specific concentration limit; used typically at 0.5–1%. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Ferulic Acid do in cosmetics?
Ferulic Acid functions as: Antioxidant; AhR pathway modulator; vitamin C+E stabilizer and efficacy potentiator; UV-absorbing phenolic acid; anti-pollution active; collagen synthesis support. It is classified as a Antioxidant in our database. CAS number: 1135-24-6.
What is the NOAEL for Ferulic Acid?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Ferulic Acid is =2000 mg/kg bw/day based on a short-term study via oral route in Rat. Source: ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID.
Is Ferulic Acid used outside cosmetics?
Ferulic Acid also appears in industrial chemical safety and food safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check Ferulic 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
Compare limits across jurisdictions
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