Is Inositol safe in cosmetics?
Inositol has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Excellent
Cosmetic Ingredient
Inositol
Also known as: cis-1,2,3,5-trans-4,6-Cyclohexanehexol, 1,2,3,5-trans-4,6-Cyclohexanehexol, cis-, EINECS 201-781-2, Inositol, i-, Inositol, meso- (+3 more)
INCI: INOSITOL
Inositol (CAS 87-89-8) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Cell signaling molecule, osmoprotectant, skin conditioner; key metabolite in. 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, pharmaceutical, and food safety data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 87-89-8 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
Cell signaling molecule, osmoprotectant, skin conditioner; key metabolite in Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate (Pitera); supports cellular osmotic balance
Safety Rating
EXCELLENT
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
GRAS under 21 CFR 184.1370 as direct human food ingredient; GRAS for animal nutrients/dietary supplements under 21 CFR 582.5370; mandated in infant formula under 21 CFR 107.100. FDA does not require pre-market approval for cosmetic use. Present in 1,167 formulations per 2024 FDA Registration and Listing Data.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Inositol.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
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
Additional Ingredient Properties
10 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
anti_aging
{"anti_aging_claim": "hydration-plumping, barrier-repair", "mechanism_of_action": "Humectant, water binding, barrier support", "target_skin_layer": "stratum corneum, epidermis", "collagen_stimulation": "No", "elastin_protection": "No", "wrinkle_reduction_pct": "6-12", "clinical_study_duration_weeks": "8", "sample_size": "30", "double_blind": "Yes", "placebo_controlled": "Yes", "published_journal":…
baby_pediatric
{"cas_number": "87-89-8", "ingredient_class": "moisturizer_baby", "pediatric_safety_rating": "excellent", "minimum_age_months": "0", "neonatal_safe": "yes", "premature_infant_safe": "yes", "skin_barrier_maturity_consideration": "Vitamin-like, humectant", "transepidermal_absorption_risk_pediatric": "low", "systemic_exposure_concern_pediatric": "low", "dose_per_kg_body_weight_concern": "Humectant pe…
concentration
{"min_concentration_pct": "0.1", "max_concentration_pct": "2.0", "typical_concentration_pct": "1.0", "product_type": "Scalp Treatment", "function_at_concentration": "Hair growth support", "source": "Clinical literature; Supplier TDS"}
cost_pricing
{"cost_tier": "mid-range", "estimated_cost_per_kg_usd_low": "25", "estimated_cost_per_kg_usd_high": "45", "natural_premium_markup_pct": "0", "organic_certified_premium_pct": "0", "supply_chain_volatility": "low", "primary_source_region": "China", "bulk_discount_threshold_kg": "100", "seasonal_price_variation": "low", "commodity_or_specialty": "specialty", "substitute_ingredients": "Sorbitol, Betai…
hair_care
{"hair_function": "moisturizing", "hair_type_suitability": "all", "curl_pattern_suitability": "all", "porosity_suitability": "all", "protein_sensitivity": "moisture", "moisture_protein_balance": "yes", "cg_method_approved": "not-a-silicone", "silicone_type": "not-a-sulfate", "sulfate_type": "no", "drying_alcohol": "no", "fatty_alcohol": "no", "heat_protectant": "yes", "color_safe": "neutral", "ker…
humectant
{"cas_number": "87-89-8", "ingredient_class": "humectant/polyol/sugar_derivative", "molecular_weight_Da": "180.16", "chemical_type": "polyol", "water_binding_mechanism": "hydrogen_bonding/hygroscopic", "water_holding_capacity_g_per_g": "0.4-0.6", "hygroscopicity_at_50_RH": "moderate", "hygroscopicity_at_80_RH": "good", "NMF_component": "no", "NMF_percentage_natural": "0", "TEWL_reduction_pct": "12…
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": "Cyclitol; vitamin-like compound", "formulation_note": "Skin conditioning", "source": "Formulation literature"}
regulatory
{"eu_status": "allowed", "us_status": "allowed"}
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Inositol.
Regulatory Flags
eu-unrestricted
cir-approved
no-sccs-opinion
gras-fda
natural-origin
humectant
fda_food_additive
Known Synonyms
cis-1,2,3,5-trans-4,6-Cyclohexanehexol
1,2,3,5-trans-4,6-Cyclohexanehexol, cis-
EINECS 201-781-2
Inositol, i-
Inositol, meso-
Insitolum
Isoinositol
UNII-4L6452S749
Regulatory Lists
pharmaceutical
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical and food safety data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Compound
INOSITOL
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL1222251
Max Phase
3
Adverse Event Associations
1473
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives + fda_gras_enriched
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
Inositol (Myo-Inositol)
FDA GRAS
FDA has no questions
GRN
1198
Food Category
sports_nutrition
Intended for use as an ingredient at a level up to 250 mg/kg in flavored and enhanced waters, soft drinks, dry milks, fruit and vegetable juices, and fruit drinks.
View full food safety profile →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Inositol allowed in the EU?
Inositol EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Inositol do in cosmetics?
Inositol functions as: Cell signaling molecule, osmoprotectant, skin conditioner; key metabolite in Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate (Pitera); supports cellular osmotic balance. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 87-89-8.
Is Inositol used outside cosmetics?
Inositol also appears in industrial chemical safety, pharmaceutical, and food safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check Inositol 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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