Is 1,2-Hexanediol safe in cosmetics?
1,2-Hexanediol has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted. 2 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
1,2-Hexanediol
INCI: 1,2-HEXANEDIOL
1,2-Hexanediol (CAS 6920-22-5) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as solvent, preservative booster, antimicrobial. NOAEL 500 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 6920-22-5 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
solvent, preservative booster, antimicrobial
Safety Rating
GOOD
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
hexane-1,2-diol
InChIKey
FHKSXSQHXQEMOK-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
No restrictions; used in clean-beauty, natural, and infant 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 1,2-Hexanediol.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
2 study endpoints found for 1,2-Hexanediol. 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 | =300 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | reproduction developmental | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
| NOAEL | =700 mg/kg bw/day | dermal | Rat | chronic | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for 1,2-Hexanediol across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
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
Typical Use Concentrations
Reported concentration ranges per product category from SCCS/CIR/industry sources.
| Product Category | Typical Range | Max Reported | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Face Cream | 0.5–3 | 5 | CIR (IJT 31:2012) |
| Serum | 0.5–3 | 5 | CIR (IJT 31:2012) |
Additional Ingredient Properties
6 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
baby_pediatric
{"cas_number": "6920-22-5", "ingredient_class": "moisturizer_baby", "pediatric_safety_rating": "good", "minimum_age_months": "3", "neonatal_safe": "yes", "premature_infant_safe": "insufficient_data", "skin_barrier_maturity_consideration": "Humectant, antimicrobial", "transepidermal_absorption_risk_pediatric": "low", "systemic_exposure_concern_pediatric": "low", "dose_per_kg_body_weight_concern": "…
deodorant
{"cas_number": "6920-22-5", "ingredient_class": "antimicrobial_deodorant", "mechanism_of_action": "bacterial_growth_inhibition", "antiperspirant_efficacy_sweat_reduction_pct": "0", "deodorant_efficacy_hours": "12-24", "odor_reduction_pct": "40-60", "bacteriostatic": "yes", "bactericidal": "limited", "target_bacteria": "limited", "microbiome_impact": "selective", "axillary_microbiome_effect": "vari…
ph_stability
{"optimal_ph_min": "4.0", "optimal_ph_max": "9.0", "stable_ph_min": "3.5", "stable_ph_max": "10.0", "ph_dependent_function": "Solvent and preservative booster", "formulation_note": "May fail fungi criteria alone", "source": "PMC 2023"}
self_tanning
{"cas_number": "6920-22-5", "ingredient_class": "other", "tanning_mechanism": "other", "color_development_onset_hours": "0.0", "full_color_development_hours": "0", "color_duration_days": "0", "DHA_concentration_if_applicable_pct": "0", "erythrulose_concentration_pct": "0", "pH_dependent_color": "no", "formaldehyde_release_concern": "no", "formaldehyde_release_ppm": "0", "AGE_formation_concern": "n…
sensory
{"silky": "light", "smooth, glides easily": "smooth, wet", "dry-touch, non-greasy": "hydrated, fresh", "instant": "fast", "low": "low", "w/o": "o/w", "very-high": "high", "no": "no", "yes": "no", "1.40": "1.43", "transparent": "transparent", "colorless": "colorless", "excellent": "good", "light": "light", "synthetic": "synthetic"}
skin_suitability
{"oily_skin": "acceptable", "dry_skin": "acceptable", "sensitive_skin": "acceptable", "combination_skin": "acceptable", "normal_skin": "acceptable", "acne_prone": "acceptable", "rosacea": "acceptable", "eczema": "acceptable", "hyperpigmentation": "acceptable", "aging_mature": "acceptable", "dehydrated": "acceptable", "skin_benefit_primary": "preservative-booster", "skin_benefit_secondary": "humect…
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Fragrance
Humectant
Softener and conditioner
Solvent
Regulatory List Membership (2)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
EPA Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for 1,2-Hexanediol.
Regulatory Flags
preservative-booster
solvent
multifunctional
infant-safe
paraben-free
hurdle-technology
epa_safer_alternative
ifra_fragrance
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to 1,2-Hexanediol by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
2
Lowest NOAEL
300 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
700 mg/kg bw/day
ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID
Chemical Function
Solvent
Softener and conditioner
Fragrance
Humectant
Regulatory Lists
air; Cons electronics mech appliances and machinery; detected; emissions; Europe
IFRA Transparency
SCIL (9/2019)
Canada; pharmaceutical
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 1,2-Hexanediol allowed in the EU?
1,2-Hexanediol EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does 1,2-Hexanediol do in cosmetics?
1,2-Hexanediol functions as: solvent, preservative booster, antimicrobial. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 6920-22-5.
What is the NOAEL for 1,2-Hexanediol?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for 1,2-Hexanediol is =300 mg/kg bw/day based on a reproduction developmental study via oral route in Rat. A total of 2 study endpoints are available. Source: ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID.
Is 1,2-Hexanediol used outside cosmetics?
1,2-Hexanediol also appears in industrial chemical safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check 1,2-Hexanediol 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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