Is Hexane safe in cosmetics?
Hexane has a safety rating of "POOR" in our database. EU status: prohibited. US status: restricted.
Hexane
Also known as: Dipropyl, EINECS 203-777-6, Gettysolve-B, NCI-C60571, Hexanen (+3 more)
INCI: HEXANE
Hexane (CAS 110-54-3) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Solvent. NOAEL 261.667 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: prohibited; 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 110-54-3 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Hexane is prohibited in EU cosmetics but has active industrial GHS classifications (H225, H304, H315, H319, H336, H361, H373, H411).
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
hexane
InChIKey
VLKZOEOYAKHREP-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
prohibited
US US Status
restricted
US Notes
Not explicitly prohibited in 21 CFR for cosmetics but subject to OSHA PEL (50 ppm TWA); effectively restricted due to neurotoxicity; MoCRA may trigger further scrutiny
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Hexane.
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 markWarnCancerHealth hazEnviroAqua
Hazard Statements
Flammable liquid and vapour Causes skin irritation May cause drowsiness or dizziness Causes damage to the nervous system through prolonged or repeated exposure May damage fertility or the unborn child if inhaled May be fatal if swallowed and enters airways Toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is irritating to the skin. The substance is mildly irritating to the eyes and respiratory tract. Exposure to high concentrations of vapour could cause unconsciousness. If this liquid is swallowed, aspiration into the lungs may result in chemical pneumonitis. See Notes.
Long-term Exposure Effects
Repeated or prolonged contact with skin may cause dermatitis. The substance may have effects on the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. This may result in polyneuropathy. Animal tests show that this substance possibly causes toxic effects upon human reproduction.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation of its vapour and by ingestion.
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Hexane across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Danger
Pictograms
FlammableHealth HazardHarmful / IrritantEnvironmental Hazard
Hazard Class and Category
Flam. Liq. 2; Repr. 2; Asp. Tox. 1; STOT SE 3; STOT RE 1; Skin Irrit. 2; Aquatic Chronic 2
Hazard Statements
- H225 Highly flammable liquid and vapour
- H361f ***
- H304 May be fatal if swallowed and enters airways
- H336 May cause drowsiness or dizziness
- H372 (nervous system)
- H315 Causes skin irritation
- H411 Toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects
Inserted via ATP: ATP22
Sensitization AOP Dashboard
Adverse Outcome Pathway data across 5 assays (DPRA, KeratinoSens, hCLAT, LLNA, NESIL) aggregated from public sources.
DPRA Cys %
-0.65%
DPRA Lys %
-1.25%
KeratinoSens IC50
2000 µM
hCLAT CV75
864.6 µg/mL
LLNA EC3
100%
NESIL
62069 µg/cm²
LLNA: NC (non-sensitizer)
GHS: not classified
Human: positive
Source: LLNA: Gerberick et al. (2005); DPRA: Gerberick et al. 2007 [DOI:10.1093/toxsci/kfm064] | Bauch et al. 2012 [DOI:10.1016/j.yrtph.2012.05.013]; KS: Bauch et al. 2012 [DOI:10.1016/j.yrtph.2012.05.013] | Natsch et al. 2013 [DOI:10.1002/jat.2868]; hCLAT: No reference provided in NICEATM database | Bauch et al. 2012 [DOI:10.1016/j.yrtph.2012.05.013]; HPPT: [27] Kligman AM (1966): https://doi.org/10.1038/jid.1966.160
HRIPT Human Patch Test Studies
2 human repeat insult patch tests aggregated from dermatological literature.
| Test Type | N | Sensitized | Dose µg/cm² | NESIL µg/cm² | Potency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HMT | - | 0 | 62068.97 | - | - |
| OECD_DA_Human | - | 0 | - | - | Non-sensitizer |
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
Yes (since 04-Feb-2026)
Hazard classification: Restricted (Annex XVII)
SVHC reason: Specific target organ toxicity after repeated exposure (Article 57(f) - human health)
Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC)
Included: 04-Feb-2026
Specific target organ toxicity after repeated exposure (Article 57(f) - human health)
EU CosIng Annex Listing
European Commission CosIng database Annex references per Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009.
Annex II — Prohibited
Ref: 999
(EC) 2009/1223
CMR: Reprotoxic Cat. 2()
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 (II - Prohibited)
ASEAN Cosmetic Directive (II)
Ref: 999
BRIN Brazil/India Cosmetics
Brazil: Prohibited
India: Prohibited (GNRAS)
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (1)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| KR | prohibited | - | - |
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (4)
Carcinogen Classification
Hexane is found in gasoline, which is possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B). (L135)
Source: Toxin and Toxin Target Database (T3DB)
Endocrine Disruptors
Potential endocrine disrupting compound
Source: NORMAN Suspect List Exchange
ICSC Safety Card
0279
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Skin Eye Respiratory Irritation
Irritates the eyes, nose and respiratory tract. | ... Irritation of eyes and nose. | Hexane is an irritant to the skin.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Regulatory (1)
JECFA Evaluation
HEXANES | 1970 | LIMITED BY GMP | At its sixty-fifth meeting in 2005 JECFA made the following statement: 'As used in the food industry, ?hexane? is a mixture of hydrocarbons. Recent changes in environmental regulations have led to a change in composition of hexanes since the original specifications were established. In addition, the composition of hexanes will depend on the region of production, t
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Cleaning agent
Fragrance
No specific technical function
Processing aids not otherwise specified
Solvent
Viscosity modifier
Regulatory List Membership (5)
California Proposition 65 (OEHHA)
EU Banned in Cosmetics
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
EU CosIng Cosmetics Ingredient Database
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Hexane.
Regulatory Flags
prop65
eu_banned_cosmetics
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
eu_cosing_listed
Known Synonyms
Dipropyl
EINECS 203-777-6
Gettysolve-B
NCI-C60571
Hexanen
UNII-2DDG612ED8
CH3-[CH2]4-CH3
Hexan
Chemical Function
Solvent
Viscosity modifier
Regulatory Lists
air; Arts and crafts/Office supplies - home office - pens and markers; detected; emissions; Europe
air; detected; emissions; Personal care
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Vehicle - car interior
detected; Europe; Vehicle - car interior
air; Cons electronics mech appliances and machinery; detected; emissions; Europe
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Home maintenance - caulk/sealant
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
banned; Europe; Personal care
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
Cons electronics mech appliances and machinery; Europe
consumer_product; detected
OEHHA Proposition 65 (3/2019)
IFRA Transparency
Europe; Food contact items
banned; Europe
air; Europe
Europe; Toys and children's products
OEHHA Proposition 65 (1/2023)
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
HEXANE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL15939
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hexane allowed in the EU?
Hexane EU regulatory status: prohibited. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Hexane do in cosmetics?
Hexane functions as: Solvent. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 110-54-3.
Is Hexane classified as hazardous under GHS?
Hexane carries a GHS signal word of "DANGER". Hazard statements: Flammable liquid and vapour Causes skin irritation May cause drowsiness or dizziness Causes damage to the nervous system through prolonged or repeated exposure May damage fertility or the unborn child if inhaled May be fatal if swallowed and enters airways Toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects. 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 Hexane used outside cosmetics?
Hexane 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 Hexane have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Hexane is prohibited in EU cosmetics but has active industrial GHS classifications (H225, H304, H315, H319, H336, H361, H373, H411).
Compliance Tools
Check Hexane 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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