Moderate Humectant

Acetamide MEA

INCI: ACETAMIDE MEA

CAS Number
142-26-7
Function
Humectant; hair and skin conditioning agent
Safety Rating
MODERATE

Regulatory Status

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ EU Status permitted
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ US Status permitted
US Notes CIR (1993, amended 2015): safe in rinse-off products; safe in leave-on at <=7.5%; must not contain nitrosating agents

For full compliance data across 55 jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
not established
Dermal Absorption
low
Sensitization
none

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Expert Verdict

Acetamide MEA (CAS 142-26-7) is permitted in both EU and US. EU permits with no annex restriction but nitrosamine formation risk requires formulation controls. US CIR determined safe for rinse-off products and leave-on formulations at concentrations โ‰ค7.5%; nitrosating co-ingredients must be avoided. Acetamide parent compound is IARC Group 2B at high chronic doses, not applicable to MEA derivative in cosmetic use.

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Concern Level: Moderate

Regulatory Flags

nitrosamine-risk leave-on-concentration-limit rinse-off-preferred avoid-nitrosating-agents

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Acetamide MEA safe in cosmetics?

Acetamide MEA (CAS 142-26-7) is permitted in both EU and US. EU permits with no annex restriction but nitrosamine formation risk requires formulation controls. US CIR determined safe for rinse-off products and leave-on formulations at concentrations โ‰ค7.5%; nitrosating co-ingredients must be avoided. Acetamide parent compound is IARC Group 2B at high chronic doses, not applicable to MEA derivative in cosmetic use. The EU classifies Acetamide MEA as "permitted". Safety rating: MODERATE.

Is Acetamide MEA allowed in the EU?

Acetamide MEA EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Acetamide MEA do in cosmetics?

Acetamide MEA functions as: Humectant; hair and skin conditioning agent. It is classified as a Humectant in our database. CAS number: 142-26-7.

What is the Margin of Safety for Acetamide MEA?

not established The Margin of Safety (MoS) is calculated using SCCS methodology. A MoS above 100 is generally considered safe. Use the MoS Calculator tool to calculate MoS for your specific formulation and product category.

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