Is Paraffin safe in cosmetics?
Paraffin has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Paraffin
Also known as: Paraffin waxes and Hydrocarbon waxes, Synthetic paraffin wax, White paraffin, EINECS 232-315-6, FEMA No. 3216 (+6 more)
INCI: PARAFFIN
Paraffin (CAS 8002-74-2) is a cosmetic emollient functioning as wax structurant, thickener, emollient, occlusive. NOAEL 1.5 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 and pharmaceutical data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 8002-74-2 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
wax structurant, thickener, emollient, occlusive
Safety Rating
GOOD
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
CIR-assessed safe. FDA-permitted. GRAS. No restriction.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Paraffin.
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 fume is irritating to the eyes, nose and throat.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation of fume.
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Paraffin 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
100,000 - 1,000,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Additional Ingredient Properties
4 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
baby_pediatric
{"cas_number": "8002-74-2", "ingredient_class": "other", "pediatric_safety_rating": "acceptable", "minimum_age_months": "6", "neonatal_safe": "no", "premature_infant_safe": "insufficient_data", "skin_barrier_maturity_consideration": "Petroleum wax - occlusive", "transepidermal_absorption_risk_pediatric": "very_low", "dose_per_kg_body_weight_concern": "Non-absorbed wax", "skin_surface_area_to_weigh…
comedogenicity_detail
{"comedogenicity_rating": "2", "irritancy_rating": "0", "skin_type_suitability": "dry,combination,normal", "acne_safe": "caution", "source": "Petroleum wax"}
hair_care
{"hair_function": "styling", "hair_type_suitability": "medium/coarse", "curl_pattern_suitability": "all", "porosity_suitability": "low", "protein_sensitivity": "neutral", "moisture_protein_balance": "no", "cg_method_approved": "not-a-silicone", "silicone_type": "not-a-sulfate", "sulfate_type": "no", "drying_alcohol": "no", "fatty_alcohol": "no", "heat_protectant": "no", "color_safe": "neutral", "k…
supply_chain
{"primary_producing_countries": "USA, China, Russia", "secondary_producing_countries": "India, Germany, Japan", "raw_material_origin": "mineral", "agricultural_crop_or_wild_harvested": "petrochemical", "cultivation_climate_required": "industrial", "harvest_season": "continuous", "annual_global_production_tonnes": "8500000", "market_share_top_producer_pct": "45", "supply_chain_length": "1_intermedi…
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Abrasive
Adhesion/cohesion promoter
Anti-adhesive/cohesive
Anti-static agent
Antioxidant
Binder
Chemical reaction regulator
Cleaning agent
Defoamer
Deodorizer
Regulatory List Membership (3)
EU Regulated in Personal Care
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Paraffin.
Regulatory Flags
petroleum-derived
macrocrystalline
wax-structurant
occlusive
emollient
balms
sticks
cir-approved
gras
not-cosmos-eligible
mosh-moah-contamination-watch
refining-standards-required
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
jecfa_concern
Known Synonyms
Paraffin waxes and Hydrocarbon waxes
Synthetic paraffin wax
White paraffin
EINECS 232-315-6
FEMA No. 3216
Hard paraffin
Paraffin, hard
Wax, paraffin
Hartparaffin
Zeresin
UNII-I9O0E3H2ZE
Chemical Function
Viscosity modifier
Softener and conditioner
Abrasive
Deodorizer
Fragrance
Emulsifier
Binder
Regulatory Lists
Europe; Personal care - make-up and related
Europe; Personal care - make-up and related
Europe; Personal care - liniment
Europe; Personal care
Europe; Personal care
inert_ingredient; Pesticides
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
IFRA Transparency
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
Europe; Personal care - make-up and related
active_ingredient; Europe; Pesticides
Journal of Chemical Engineering & Process Technology
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA count match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Adverse Event Associations
192
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Paraffin allowed in the EU?
Paraffin EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Paraffin do in cosmetics?
Paraffin functions as: wax structurant, thickener, emollient, occlusive. It is classified as a Emollient in our database. CAS number: 8002-74-2.
Is Paraffin used outside cosmetics?
Paraffin 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.
Compliance Tools
Check Paraffin 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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