Also known as: Salicyclic acid (SA) (Benzoic acid, 2-hydroxy-), BRN 0774890, Caswell No. 731, EINECS 200-712-3, EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 076602 (+15 more)
CAS 69-72-7
Salicylic acid (CAS 69-72-7) is a chemical substance with GHS signal word Danger; key hazard signal: H361d; H302; H318. Key regulatory status: REACH registered, 18 regulatory/inventory lists, cosmetic ingredient cross-reference; source data from ECHA CLP, EPA ToxValDB, EPA CPDat, SCCS, ECHA REACH, ILO ICSC.
Salicylic acid is classified GHS Danger (H361d, H302, H318) in the chemicals database but is restricted in EU cosmetics at max 2.0% general cosmetics (non-leave-on); 3.0% rinse-off hair products; 0.5% body lotion, eye shadow, mascara, eyeliner, lipstick, non-spray deodorant. Not for use in products for children under 3 years (except shampoo). Not for oral products or inhalation products. pH ≥3.5 required..
CAS, identifiers, formula, and alternate names for the matched substance record.
EU harmonized hazard classification, hazard statements, pictograms, and signal word.
| Hazard Class | H-Statements | Pictograms | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repr. 2; Acute Tox. 4; Eye Dam. 1 | H361d; H302; H318 | GHS08; GHS07; GHS05 | Danger |
International Chemical Safety Card hazard and exposure summary.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| GHS Signal Word | DANGER |
| GHS Hazard Statements | Harmful if swallowed Causes serious eye damage Suspected of damaging fertility or the unborn child |
| Short-term Effects | The substance is severely irritating to the eyes. The substance may cause effects on the central nervous system, acid-base balance in the body and gastrointestinal tract when ingested in large amounts. This may result in delirium, tremors and coma. |
| Long-term Effects | Repeated or prolonged contact with skin may cause dermatitis. Animal tests show that this substance possibly causes toxicity to human reproduction or development. |
| Routes of Exposure | The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation, by ingestion and through the skin. |
Industrial and product-use categories associated with this substance.
Inventory, screening, and regulatory list matches from public chemical databases.
| List | Keyword | Source |
|---|---|---|
| IFRA Transparency | IFRA | IFRA |
| Europe; Personal care; restricted | European Commission | CosIng |
| pharmaceutical | US International Trade Commission | CPCat |
| active_ingredient; Pesticides | California Department of Pesticide Regulation | State of California |
| inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides | EPA | CPCat |
| active_ingredient; Europe; Pesticides | Commission of the European Communities | CPCat |
| active_ingredient; Pesticides | MN Department of Agriculture Pesticide Sales Database | CPCat |
| active_ingredient; Pesticides | MN Department of Agriculture Pesticide Sales Database | CPCat |
| active_ingredient; animal_products; Europe; pharmaceutical; residue | EU | CPCat |
| Europe; Personal care - hair styling and care - shampoo-dandruff | Danish Environmental Protection Agency | Danish EPA |
| detected; Europe; Personal care - sexual wellness | Danish Environmental Protection Agency | Danish EPA |
| detected; Europe; Personal care - sexual wellness | Danish Environmental Protection Agency | Danish EPA |
| Europe; pharmaceutical | Drinking Water Inspectorate | CPCat |
| Europe | European Commission | Fl@vis |
| food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019) | FDA | United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) |
| Canada; pharmaceutical | DrugBank | DrugBank |
| Canada; pharmaceutical | DrugBank | DrugBank |
| Personal care - body hygiene; Personal care - general moisturizing; Personal care - hair styling and care | P&G | Proctor & Gamble |
Toxicology endpoints rendered from public NOAEL study rows.
| Value | Unit | Endpoint | Route | Species | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | - | - | - | - | UnifiedCodex:SCCS_SHADOW:beta.noael_studies |
| 21 | - | - | - | - | UnifiedCodex:SCCS_SHADOW:beta.noael_studies |
| 22 | - | - | - | - | UnifiedCodex:SCCS_SHADOW:beta.noael_studies |
| 22 | - | - | oral | human | UnifiedCodex:SCCS_SHADOW:beta.noael_studies |
| 50 | - | - | - | - | UnifiedCodex:SCCS_SHADOW:beta.noael_studies |
| 75 | mg/kg | - | oral | rat | UnifiedCodex:SCCNFP:beta.noael_studies |
| 75 | mg/kg/day | - | - | human | UnifiedCodex:SCCS_SHADOW:beta.noael_studies |
| 75 | mg/kg/day | - | - | - | UnifiedCodex:SCCS_SHADOW:beta.noael_studies |
| 75 | mg/kg bw/d | - | dermal | - | UnifiedCodex:SCCS_SHADOW:beta.noael_studies |
| 75 | mg/kg/day | - | - | - | UnifiedCodex:SCCS_SHADOW:beta.noael_studies |
| 75 | mg/kg | - | - | - | UnifiedCodex:SCCS_SHADOW:beta.noael_studies |
| 195 | - | - | - | - | UnifiedCodex:SCCS_SHADOW:beta.noael_studies |
| 9 | ug/mL | CD54, EC200 | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| 394.4 | ug/mL | CD54, EC200 | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| 608.88 | ug/mL | CD54, EC200 | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| 608.9 | ug/mL | CD54, EC200 | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| 715.6 | ug/mL | CD54, EC200 | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| >200 | ug/mL | CD86, EC150 | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| >966.854 | ug/mL | CD86, EC150 | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| 974 | ug/mL | CV75 | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| >1000 | ug/mL | CV75 | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| =5 | mg/m3 | DNEL local | inhalation | Human | ToxValDB_GESTIS_DNEL |
| 3.5 | % | Depletion Cys | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| 5.2 | % | Depletion Cys | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| 8.7 | % | Depletion Cys | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| 0.1 | % | Depletion Lys | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| 1 | % | Depletion Lys | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| 21.1 | % | Depletion Lys | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| 2.65 | % | Depletion Lys + Cys | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| 4.85 | % | Depletion Lys + Cys | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| 12.3 | % | Depletion Lys + Cys | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| >2000 | uM | EC1.5 | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| 12.2 | % | EC3 | Dermal | Mouse | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| 12.2 | % | EC3 | Dermal | Mouse | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| 12.2 | % | EC3 | Dermal | Mouse | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| 12.2 | % | EC3 | Dermal | Mouse | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| >2000 | uM | EC3 | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| O414PZ4LPZ | UNII | FDA UNII substance identifier | - | - | openFDA substances |
| O414PZ4LPZ | UNII | FDA UNII substance identifier | - | - | openFDA substances |
| O414PZ4LPZ | UNII | FDA UNII substance identifier | - | - | openFDA substances |
| O414PZ4LPZ | UNII | FDA UNII substance identifier | - | - | openFDA substances |
| 0.4 | fraction | Fu | - | Rat | NTP_ICE_adme_parameters |
| >3000 | uM | IC50 | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| 0.8004 | ratio | Imax | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| 1.034 | ratio | Imax | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| 1.1 | ratio | Imax | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| 1.107 | ratio | Imax | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| 1.109 | ratio | Imax | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| 1.117 | ratio | Imax | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
| 1.125 | ratio | Imax | Dermal | - | NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization |
Showing 50 of 100 studies
Registration status from the ECHA REACH registered substances database.
| Status | Name | EC Number | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered | Salicylic acid | 200-712-3 | ECHA overview → |
EU Scientific Committee opinions tied to the matched substance.
| Opinion | Date | Conclusion | Max Conc. | Concerns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCCS/1675/25 | 30 April 2025 | not safe (children - aggregate exposure) | 0.5% preservative; 3% rinse-off hair products; 2% other leave-on; 0.5% body lotion/oral | Endocrine disrupting properties; eye irritant; not for children <3 years; safe at 0.1% in dermal products for children; aggregate exposure of concern |
| SCCS/1646/22 | 6-7 June 2023 | safe with restrictions | 0.5% preservative; 3% rinse-off hair; 2% leave-on (not body lotion/eye/lip/oral); 0.5% body lotion/eye/mascara/eyeliner/lipstick/oral/non-spray deodorant | Endocrine disrupting properties potential; safe in single product category but not oral+dermal combined; eye irritant; children <3 years excluded |
| SCCS/1601/18 | 21 December 2018 | safe with restrictions | 0.5% preservative; 2% other products; 3% rinse-off hair products; 1.5% face products | Endocrine disrupting properties not yet evaluated in this submission; 60% dermal penetration value used |
Same-CAS cosmetic ingredient record for cross-vertical context.
Same-CAS pharmaceutical records from drug and bioactivity sources.
Same-CAS food additive, ADI, and GRAS records where available.
ADI: NO ADI ALLOCATED mg/kg bw
View full food safety profile →Same-CAS cannabis compliance and lab records where available.
1 cannabis record found in efsa substances.
View full cannabis profile →Salicylic acid (CAS 69-72-7) is classified under EU CLP Annex VI as Repr. 2; Acute Tox. 4; Eye Dam. 1 with signal word Danger. Hazard statements: H361d; H302; H318. Source: EU CLP Annex VI (ECHA).
Salicylic acid has 100 NOAEL studies in the database. The lowest reported value is 0.1 % via Dermal. Source: NTP_ICE_skin_sensitization.
Salicylic acid appears on 14 regulatory/inventory lists including IFRA Transparency, Europe; Personal care; restricted, pharmaceutical, and 11 more. Source: EPA CPDat.
Yes, Salicylic acid is also indexed as a cosmetic ingredient under the name Salicylic Acid. View the full cosmetic safety profile on the ingredient page for detailed safety data, SCCS opinions, and regulatory status.
Safety data is sourced from ECHA CLP Annex VI, EPA ToxValDB, EPA CPDat, EPA DSSTox, ECHA REACH, ILO/WHO ICSC, CosIng / Ingredients DB, ChEMBL / DailyMed, EFSA / FDA GRAS, cannabis regulatory/lab databases. All data traces to primary regulatory sources and is updated from official government databases.
Salicylic acid is classified GHS Danger (H361d, H302, H318) in the chemicals database but is restricted in EU cosmetics at max 2.0% general cosmetics (non-leave-on); 3.0% rinse-off hair products; 0.5% body lotion, eye shadow, mascara, eyeliner, lipstick, non-spray deodorant. Not for use in products for children under 3 years (except shampoo). Not for oral products or inhalation products. pH ≥3.5 required..
Salicylic acid also appears in cosmetics, pharmaceutical, food safety, cannabis databases.