Is Oleic Acid safe in cosmetics?
Oleic Acid has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Oleic Acid
Also known as: 9-Octadecenoic acid (9Z)-, Z-(9)-Octadecenoic acid, 9-Octadecenoic acid, EC No.: 204-007-1, 4-02-00-01641 (+15 more)
INCI: OLEIC ACID
Oleic Acid (CAS 112-80-1) is a cosmetic emollient functioning as emollient, penetration enhancer. 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 112-80-1 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
emollient, penetration enhancer
Safety Rating
GOOD
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
CIR reviewed and determined safe. Irritant at high concentration. One of the most-studied lipid penetration enhancers.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Oleic Acid.
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.
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is mildly irritating to the eyes and skin.
Dermal Penetration Profile
Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of Oleic Acid, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.
Absorption %
8-15%
Penetration Level
stratum-corneum
Penetration Depth
stratum corneum/epidermis
Molecular Weight
282.5 Da
Log P
7.5
Systemic Absorption
minimal
Topical Bioavailability
5-12%
Safety Margin Factor
moderate
Vehicle Dependent
Yes — absorption varies by formulation
Source: Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2002
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
5 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LD50 | >3000 mg/kg | Guinea Pig | dermal | - | HPVIS |
| LOEL | =0.09 mM | European Rabbit | environmental | short-term | ECOTOX |
| NOEL | =0.9 mM | European Rabbit | environmental | short-term | ECOTOX |
| LD50 | =28000 mg/kg | Mouse | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
| LD50 | =25000 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
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.
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (1)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| GCC | halal_prohibited | - | All cosmetics |
Expanded Dermal Absorption Data
Cross-database dermal penetration: EPA Dryad physics-based, Roberts Mendeley permeation, and SCCS-aggregated measured values.
Roberts Skin Permeation (Mendeley 2022)
MW: 282.45999
Log Kow: 7.73
Log Kp: -2.886056647693163
Log Jmax: -12.92226464152411
Source: Roberts Cheruvu Mendeley 2022
Additional Ingredient Properties
10 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
anti_aging
{"anti_aging_claim": "barrier-repair, hydration-plumping", "mechanism_of_action": "Lipid barrier restoration, TEWL reduction, emollient", "target_skin_layer": "stratum corneum", "collagen_stimulation": "No", "elastin_protection": "No", "wrinkle_reduction_pct": "5-10", "clinical_study_duration_weeks": "8", "sample_size": "30", "double_blind": "No", "placebo_controlled": "Yes", "published_journal": …
anti_pollution
{"cas_number": "112-80-1", "ingredient_class": "other", "primary_mechanism": "barrier_reinforcement", "pollution_types_targeted": "PM2_5", "IR_A_protection": "no", "visible_light_protection": "no", "digital_screen_protection_claim": "no", "PAH_neutralization": "no", "ozone_protection": "no", "mitochondrial_protection": "no", "Nrf2_activation": "no", "AhR_pathway_modulation": "no", "NF_kB_inhibitio…
comedogenicity_detail
{"comedogenicity_rating": "2", "irritancy_rating": "1", "skin_type_suitability": "dry,combination,normal", "acne_safe": "caution", "source": "Fulton 1989"}
dermal_absorption
{"molecular_weight_da": "282.5", "log_p_value": "7.5", "skin_penetration_level": "stratum-corneum", "penetration_depth": "stratum corneum/epidermis", "absorption_pct": "8-15", "systemic_absorption": "minimal", "penetration_enhancer": "yes", "occlusion_effect": "yes", "vehicle_dependent": "yes", "skin_barrier_effect": "weakens", "bioavailability_topical_pct": "5-12", "safety_margin_factor": "modera…
emulsion_hlb
{"hlb_required_as_emulsifier": "no", "hlb_required_of_oil_phase": "17", "co_emulsifier_pairs": "sodium_hydroxide,potassium_hydroxide", "optimal_oil_phase_pct": "8-22", "optimal_water_phase_pct": "78-92", "droplet_size_range_um": "3-30", "creaming_resistance": "moderate", "coalescence_resistance": "good", "ostwald_ripening_resistance": "moderate", "freeze_thaw_stability": "poor", "rheology_modifier…
hair_conditioning
{"cas_number": "112-80-1", "ingredient_class": "fatty_acid_conditioner", "chemical_type": "fatty_acid", "substantivity_to_hair": "good", "deposition_from_shampoo": "no", "deposition_from_conditioner": "yes", "conditioning_mechanism": "emollient_penetrating", "hair_penetration": "cuticle_cortex", "molecular_weight_effect_on_penetration": "C18_unsaturated_penetrates", "wet_combing_force_reduction_pc…
interactions
{"ingredient_2": "Active ingredients", "interaction_type": "enhanced_penetration", "severity": "beneficial", "effect": "Fatty acid penetration enhancer, disrupts lipid packing", "recommendation": "Compatible; moderate penetration enhancement", "data_source": "Formulation science literature, dermatological research, cosmetic chemistry best practices", "last_updated": "2026-03-05"}
pediatric_safety
{"safe_for_newborn_0_6m": "yes", "safe_for_infant_6_12m": "yes", "safe_for_toddler_1_3y": "yes", "safe_for_child_3_12y": "yes", "safe_for_teen_12_18y": "yes", "pediatric_max_concentration_pct": "5.0", "adult_max_concentration_pct": "5.0", "pediatric_dermal_absorption_factor": "normal", "diaper_area_safe": "yes", "pediatric_allergy_prevalence": "low", "banned_in_children_products_eu": "no", "banned…
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Anti-adhesive/cohesive
Binder
Cleaning agent
Defoamer
Dispersing agent
Emulsifier
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Lubricating agent
No specific technical function
Regulatory List Membership (5)
EU Regulated in Personal Care
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
EPA Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Consumer Product Chemical
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Oleic Acid.
Regulatory Flags
penetration-enhancer
irritant-high-conc
endocrine_disruptor
epa_safer_alternative
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
jecfa_safe
Known Synonyms
9-Octadecenoic acid (9Z)-
Z-(9)-Octadecenoic acid
9-Octadecenoic acid
EC No.: 204-007-1
4-02-00-01641
BRN 1726542
Caswell No. 619
EINECS 204-007-1
EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 031702
FEMA No. 2815
FEMA Number 2815
Hy-phi 1055
Hy-phi 1088
Hy-phi 2066
Hy-phi 2088
Hy-phi 2102
NSC 9856
Oelsauere
delta9-cis-Oleic acid
cis-delta(sup 9)-Octadecenoic acid
Chemical Function
Surfactant (surface active agent)
Lubricating agent
Softener and conditioner
Emulsifier
No specific technical function
Regulatory Lists
pharmaceutical
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
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
OLEIC ACID
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL8659
Max Phase
2
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
OLEIC ACID
ADI
No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent mg/kg bw
Food Category
flavoring
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Oleic Acid allowed in the EU?
Oleic Acid EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Oleic Acid do in cosmetics?
Oleic Acid functions as: emollient, penetration enhancer. It is classified as a Emollient in our database. CAS number: 112-80-1.
Is Oleic Acid used outside cosmetics?
Oleic Acid 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 Oleic 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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