Is Sphingosine safe in cosmetics?
Sphingosine has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Sphingosine
Also known as: (E)-2-Amino-4-octadecan-1,3-diol, 2-Aminooctadec-4-ene-1,3-diol
INCI: SPHINGOSINE
Sphingosine (CAS 123-78-4) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Skin-conditioning agent–miscellaneous; primary sphingoid base backbone for. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in pharmaceutical data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 123-78-4 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
Skin-conditioning agent–miscellaneous; primary sphingoid base backbone for sphingosine-based ceramides (Ceramide NS, AS, EOS). (E)-2-amino-4-octadecen-1,3-diol; trans-D-erythro-sphingosine. Participates in ceramide biosynthesis via ceramide synthase (N-acylation of sphingosine with fatty acids). The trans-double bond at C4 is characteristic of human sphingosine and differentiates it from phytosphingosine (no double bond, additional C4-hydroxyl). Bioactive lipid mediator: sphingosine and its phosphorylated form (sphingosine-1-phosphate, S1P) are key regulators of keratinocyte proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis.
Safety Rating
EXCELLENT
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Endogenous human bioactive lipid. CIR 2020 umbrella assessment of ceramide/sphingolipid class covers sphingosine safety in cosmetic use. No FDA OTC drug concerns for skin-conditioning applications. MoCRA compliance required. Commercial sources: synthetic or semi-synthetic.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Sphingosine.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Dermal Penetration Profile
Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of Sphingosine, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.
Absorption %
3-8%
Penetration Level
stratum-corneum
Penetration Depth
stratum corneum
Molecular Weight
299.5 Da
Log P
4.8
Systemic Absorption
minimal
Topical Bioavailability
2-6%
Safety Margin Factor
low
Vehicle Dependent
Yes — absorption varies by formulation
Source: Biochim Biophys Acta 2014
Additional Ingredient Properties
6 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
acne
{"cas_number": "123-78-4", "anti_acne_mechanism": "anti_inflammatory", "comedogenicity_rating_0_to_5": "1", "acne_type_efficacy": "inflammatory", "sebum_reduction_pct_clinical": "0-5", "prescription_required_usa": "No", "otc_drug_monograph_category": "No", "max_otc_concentration_pct": "No limit", "japan_quasi_drug_anti_acne": "No", "korea_functional_cosmetic_acne": "No", "eu_cosmetic_restriction_a…
anti_aging
{"anti_aging_claim": "barrier-repair", "mechanism_of_action": "Lipid barrier restoration, TEWL reduction, emollient", "target_skin_layer": "stratum corneum", "collagen_stimulation": "No", "elastin_protection": "No", "wrinkle_reduction_pct": "6-12", "clinical_study_duration_weeks": "8", "sample_size": "30", "double_blind": "No", "placebo_controlled": "Yes", "published_journal": "Int J Cosmet Sci, P…
anti_pollution
{"cas_number": "123-78-4", "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…
dermal_absorption
{"molecular_weight_da": "299.5", "log_p_value": "4.8", "skin_penetration_level": "stratum-corneum", "penetration_depth": "stratum corneum", "absorption_pct": "3-8", "systemic_absorption": "minimal", "penetration_enhancer": "yes", "occlusion_effect": "no", "vehicle_dependent": "yes", "skin_barrier_effect": "strengthens", "bioavailability_topical_pct": "2-6", "safety_margin_factor": "low", "source":…
ph_stability
{"optimal_ph_min": "4.0", "optimal_ph_max": "7.0", "stable_ph_min": "3.5", "stable_ph_max": "8.0", "degrades_above_ph": "8.5", "degrades_below_ph": "3.0", "ph_dependent_function": "Barrier lipid", "formulation_note": "Antimicrobial properties", "source": "Formulation literature"}
uv_stability
{"uv_stable": "yes", "uv_degradation_rate": "stable", "photosensitizer": "no", "phototoxic": "no", "photoallergic": "no", "requires_uv_protection_packaging": "no", "color_change_uv": "no", "odor_change_uv": "no", "efficacy_loss_uv_pct": "0", "spf_contribution": "no", "uva_protection": "no", "uvb_protection": "no", "photostable_sunscreen": "no", "boost_spf_of_others": "no", "antioxidant_under_uv": …
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Sphingosine.
Regulatory Flags
cir-reviewed
endogenous-compound
ceramide-precursor
s1p-signaling
barrier-repair
bioactive-lipid
trilipid-triad
sphingosine-backbone
Known Synonyms
(E)-2-Amino-4-octadecan-1,3-diol
2-Aminooctadec-4-ene-1,3-diol
Regulatory Lists
Canada; pharmaceutical
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.
Compound
SPHINGOSINE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL67166
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sphingosine allowed in the EU?
Sphingosine EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Sphingosine do in cosmetics?
Sphingosine functions as: Skin-conditioning agent–miscellaneous; primary sphingoid base backbone for sphingosine-based ceramides (Ceramide NS, AS, EOS). (E)-2-amino-4-octadecen-1,3-diol; trans-D-erythro-sphingosine. Participates in ceramide biosynthesis via ceramide synthase (N-acylation of sphingosine with fatty acids). The trans-double bond at C4 is characteristic of human sphingosine and differentiates it from phytosphingosine (no double bond, additional C4-hydroxyl). Bioactive lipid mediator: sphingosine and its phosphorylated form (sphingosine-1-phosphate, S1P) are key regulators of keratinocyte proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis.. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 123-78-4.
Is Sphingosine used outside cosmetics?
Sphingosine also appears in pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check Sphingosine compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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82 Allergen Checker
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Substance Compliance
Check compliance across multiple jurisdictions
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
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Skin Protecting
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