Is Musk Ketone safe in cosmetics?
Musk Ketone has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: restricted. US status: permitted. 7 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Musk Ketone
Also known as: 1-(4-(1,1-Dimethylethyl)-2,6-dimethyl-3,5-dinitrophenyl)ethanone, 2-Acetyl-5-tert-butyl-4,6-dinitroxylene, 4-07-00-00808, Acetophenone, 4'-tert-butyl-2',6'-dimethyl-3',5'-dinitro-, BRN 2062638 (+7 more)
INCI: MUSK KETONE
Musk Ketone (CAS 81-14-1) is a cosmetic fragrance functioning as Fragrance fixative (nitro-musk, warm powdery sweet musky odor). NOAEL 15 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted, max 1.4% fine fragrance; 0.56% eau de toilette; 0.042% other cosmetic 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 81-14-1 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Musk Ketone is classified GHS CMR hazard (H351, H400, H410, H336, H361) in the chemicals database but is restricted in EU cosmetics at max 1.4% fine fragrance; 0.56% eau de toilette; 0.042% other cosmetic products.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status/eu_max; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
Fragrance fixative (nitro-musk, warm powdery sweet musky odor)
Safety Rating
MODERATE
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
1-(4-tert-butyl-2,6-dimethyl-3,5-dinitrophenyl)ethanone
InChIKey
WXCMHFPAUCOJIG-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
restricted
EU Max Conc.
1.4% fine fragrance; 0.56% eau de toilette; 0.042% other cosmetic products
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
No federal US ban. IFRA 51st Amendment actively encourages replacement with safer alternatives; regulatory trajectory clearly toward elimination.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Musk Ketone.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
7 study endpoints found for Musk Ketone. 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 | 10 mg/kg bw/day | oral | mouse | Special Toxicology Study | COSMOS_DB |
| NOAEL | 20 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Special Toxicology Study | COSMOS_DB |
| NOAEL | 45 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Developmental | COSMOS_DB |
| NOAEL | 125 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Chronic | COSMOS_DB |
| NOAEL | =15 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | reproduction developmental | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
| NOAEL | =45 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | developmental | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
| NOAEL | =75 mg/kg bw/day | dermal | Rat | subchronic | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Musk Ketone across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
Sensitization Profile
Contact sensitization data for Musk Ketone based on clinical patch test studies and IFRA standards.
Sensitization Rate
low
Allergen Class
fragrance
EU Allergen Listed
no
Patch Test Positive Rate
0.1%
Cross-reactivity Group
nitromusk-group
Reaction Type
contact-dermatitis
IFRA Restricted
Source: IFRA/SCCS
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Warning
Pictograms
Health HazardEnvironmental Hazard
Hazard Class and Category
Carc. 2; Aquatic Acute 1; Aquatic Chronic 1
Hazard Statements
- H351 Suspected of causing cancer
- H400 Very toxic to aquatic life
- H410 Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects
Inserted via ATP: ATP01
Sensitization AOP Dashboard
Adverse Outcome Pathway data across 5 assays (DPRA, KeratinoSens, hCLAT, LLNA, NESIL) aggregated from public sources.
NESIL
1986 µg/cm²
GHS: 1B
Human: positive
Source: HPPT: [103] Greif N (1967): Cutaneous safety of fragrance material as measured by the maximization test.
HRIPT Human Patch Test Studies
3 human repeat insult patch tests aggregated from dermatological literature.
| Test Type | N | Sensitized | Dose µg/cm² | NESIL µg/cm² | Potency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HRIPT | 107 | 0 | 6023 | 6023 | non-sensitizer |
| HMT | - | 0 | 1986.21 | - | - |
| HMT | - | 0 | 3240 | - | - |
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
LOEC: 10 µM
EU status: banned (Annex II) since 2004
weak agonist
Dose-Response Data Points
| Endpoint | Target | Value | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| cell_proliferation | ERα | 10 mmol/L mmol/L | agonist |
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
100 - 1,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Hazard classification: Restricted (Annex XVII)
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)
Product type: All cosmetic products, with the exception of oral care products. Max: (a) 1.4% in fine fragrance (b) 0.56% in eau de toilette (c) 0.042% in other products.
BRIN Brazil/India Cosmetics
Brazil: Restricted · max a) 1,4% em fragrâncias finas; b) 0,56% em colônias; c) 0,042% em outros produtos.
India: Restricted · max (a) 1.4% in fine fragrance (b) 0.56% in eau de toilette (c) 0.042% in other products
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (2)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| BR | restricted | 1.4 (fine frag) / 0.56 (cologne) / 0.042 (other) | a) Fine fragrances 1.4%; b) Cologne 0.56%; c) Other products 0.042%; not in oral hygiene |
| ASEAN | restricted | 1.4% (fine fragrance); 0.56% (EdT); 0.042% (other) | Fragrances |
IFRA Concentration Limits (12 Product Categories)
International Fragrance Association standards per product category. Restriction: Specification. Effective: 2010-01-01.
| Category | Max % | Category | Max % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (Lip products) | – | 7a (Deodorant – not spray) | – |
| 2 (Body spray) | – | 7b (Deodorant spray) | – |
| 3 (Body cream) | – | 8 (Face cream) | – |
| 4 (Fine fragrance) | – | 9 (Soap) | – |
| 5a (Body lotion) | – | 10a (Household – non-spray) | – |
| 5b (Face cream leave-on) | – | 10b (Household – spray) | – |
| 5c (Hand cream) | – | 11a (Intimate – leave-on) | – |
| 5d (Baby cream) | – | 11b (Intimate – rinse) | – |
| 6 (Mouthwash) | – | 12 (Not for consumer exposure) | – |
Additional Ingredient Properties
3 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
allergen_detail
{"eu_allergen_listed": "no", "allergen_class": "fragrance", "cross_reactivity_group": "nitromusk-group", "patch_test_frequency_pct": "0.1", "sensitization_rate": "low", "common_reaction_type": "contact-dermatitis", "ifra_restricted": "yes", "source": "IFRA/SCCS"}
fragrance
{"cas_number": "81-14-1", "ingredient_class": "synthetic_musk", "chemical_class": "nitro", "odor_family": "musk", "odor_description": "Powdery musk, sweet, strong", "odor_strength": "very_strong", "odor_tenacity_hours": "450.0", "top_note": "no", "heart_note": "no", "base_note": "yes", "blending_factor_1_10": "10.0", "threshold_of_detection_ppb": "1.5", "molecular_weight_Da": "294.3", "boiling_poi…
pediatric_safety
{"safe_for_newborn_0_6m": "avoid", "safe_for_infant_6_12m": "avoid", "safe_for_toddler_1_3y": "avoid", "safe_for_child_3_12y": "caution", "safe_for_teen_12_18y": "caution", "pediatric_max_concentration_pct": "0.0", "adult_max_concentration_pct": "0.0", "pediatric_dermal_absorption_factor": "higher", "immature_skin_barrier_risk": "high", "oral_ingestion_risk": "low", "eye_irritation_risk": "low", "…
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (1)
Skin Eye Respiratory Irritation
/This material was a mild eye irritant in rabbits./
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Deodorizer
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Regulatory List Membership (5)
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 Musk Ketone.
Regulatory Flags
nitro-musk
bioaccumulation
environmental-persistence
ifra-phase-out
eu-restricted
endocrine_disruptor
eu_children_restricted
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
eu_cosing_listed
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Musk Ketone by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
7
Lowest NOAEL
10 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
125 mg/kg bw/day
COSMOS_DB
ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID
Known Synonyms
1-(4-(1,1-Dimethylethyl)-2,6-dimethyl-3,5-dinitrophenyl)ethanone
2-Acetyl-5-tert-butyl-4,6-dinitroxylene
4-07-00-00808
Acetophenone, 4'-tert-butyl-2',6'-dimethyl-3',5'-dinitro-
BRN 2062638
4-tert-Butyl-3,5-dinitro-2,6-dimethylacetophenone
2,6-Dinitro-3,5-dimethyl-4-acetyl-tert-butylbenzene
3,5-Dinitro-2,6-dimethyl-4-tert-butylacetophenone
EINECS 201-328-9
NSC 15339
UNII-483V3E1L6J
Ethanone, 1-[4-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-2,6-dimethyl-3,5-dinitrophenyl]-
Chemical Function
Deodorizer
Fragrance
Flavouring and nutrient
Regulatory Lists
Europe; Personal care; restricted
children; Europe; Personal care
children; Europe; Personal care - specialized bath products - bath salts
IFRA Transparency
consumer_product
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
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.
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL1877463
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Musk Ketone allowed in the EU?
Musk Ketone EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: 1.4% fine fragrance; 0.56% eau de toilette; 0.042% other cosmetic products. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Musk Ketone do in cosmetics?
Musk Ketone functions as: Fragrance fixative (nitro-musk, warm powdery sweet musky odor). It is classified as a Fragrance in our database. CAS number: 81-14-1.
What is the NOAEL for Musk Ketone?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Musk Ketone is 10 mg/kg bw/day based on a Special Toxicology Study study via oral route in mouse. A total of 7 study endpoints are available. Source: COSMOS_DB.
Is Musk Ketone used outside cosmetics?
Musk Ketone 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 Musk Ketone have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Musk Ketone is classified GHS CMR hazard (H351, H400, H410, H336, H361) in the chemicals database but is restricted in EU cosmetics at max 1.4% fine fragrance; 0.56% eau de toilette; 0.042% other cosmetic products.
Compliance Tools
Check Musk Ketone 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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