Is Acetaminophen safe in cosmetics?
Acetaminophen has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted. 1 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Acetaminophen
Also known as: 4-Acetamidophenol, Paracetamol, 4-hydroxyacetanilide, APAP, 4-13-00-01091 (+15 more)
INCI: ACETAMINOPHEN
Acetaminophen (CAS 103-90-2) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Skin conditioning; primarily a pharmaceutical (paracetamol). Reported NOAEL =650 mg/kg bw/day in Rat (ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted; GHS signal word WARNING. 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 103-90-2 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
Skin conditioning; primarily a pharmaceutical (paracetamol)
Safety Rating
MODERATE
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
FDA-regulated as an OTC drug (analgesic/antipyretic). Cosmetic use is uncommon and may trigger drug classification depending on claims.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Acetaminophen.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
1 study endpoint found for Acetaminophen. NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) values are used to calculate the Margin of Safety per SCCS methodology.
| Endpoint | Value | Route | Species | Study Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAEL | =650 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | chronic | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Signal Word
WARNING
Pictograms
CancerHealth haz
Hazard Statements
May cause damage to liver and kidneys through prolonged or repeated exposure if swallowed Toxic to aquatic life
Long-term Exposure Effects
Ingestion may cause effects on the kidneys and liver. This may result in impaired functions.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by ingestion.
IARC Carcinogenicity
International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) monograph evaluation.
IARC Group
3
Volume
50, 73
Evaluation Year
1998
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
10 - 100 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Pharmaceutical
Softener and conditioner
Stabilizing agent
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Acetaminophen.
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Acetaminophen by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
1
Lowest NOAEL
650 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
650 mg/kg bw/day
ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID
Known Synonyms
4-Acetamidophenol
Paracetamol
4-hydroxyacetanilide
APAP
4-13-00-01091
Acetamide, N-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-
p-Acetaminophenol
EINECS 203-157-5
NCI-C55801
Pyregesic-C
Apitrelal
Children's Acetaminophen Elixir Solution
Codicet
Croix Blanche
Dafalgan Codeine
Dolotec
Febridol
Fluparmol
Malex N
Paracetamol Harkley
Chemical Function
Pharmaceutical
Softener and conditioner
Stabilizing agent
Regulatory Lists
pharmaceutical
pharmaceutical
pharmaceutical
pharmaceutical
pharmaceutical
pharmaceutical
pharmaceutical
pharmaceutical
pharmaceutical
pharmaceutical
pharmaceutical
detected; pharmaceutical; wastewater
detected; pharmaceutical; soil
detected; pharmaceutical; wastewater
detected; pharmaceutical; wastewater
detected; MN Chemical Screening; surface_water
detected; ground_water; MN Chemical Screening; pharmaceutical
detected; MN Chemical Screening; surface_water
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
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
ACETAMINOPHEN
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL112
Max Phase
4
Adverse Event Associations
27587
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Acetaminophen allowed in the EU?
Acetaminophen EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Acetaminophen do in cosmetics?
Acetaminophen functions as: Skin conditioning; primarily a pharmaceutical (paracetamol). It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 103-90-2.
What is the NOAEL for Acetaminophen?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Acetaminophen is =650 mg/kg bw/day based on a chronic study via oral route in Rat. Source: ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID.
Is Acetaminophen classified as hazardous under GHS?
Acetaminophen carries a GHS signal word of "WARNING". Hazard statements: May cause damage to liver and kidneys through prolonged or repeated exposure if swallowed Toxic to aquatic life. This classification is based on the ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Card and ECHA C&L inventory data. Note: GHS classification applies to the pure substance — at cosmetic use concentrations, hazard thresholds may not be met.
Is Acetaminophen used outside cosmetics?
Acetaminophen also appears in pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check Acetaminophen 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
Related Ingredients
1-Methylhydantoin-2-imide (Creatinine)
Excellent
Same category
Skin conditioning (skin brightening/l...
4-Amino-3-Hydroxybutyric Acid
Excellent
Same category
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Glycyl Beta-Alanine
Excellent
Same category
Skin conditioning agent with melanin ...
Acetyl Tripeptide-1
Excellent
Same category
Skin Conditioning
Acetylneuraminic Acid
Excellent
Same category
Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting
Acetylphytosphingosine
Excellent
Same category
Skin Conditioning, Hair Conditioning;...
(20S)-Protopanaxadiol
Moderate
Similar safety
(Cryptomeria Japonica/Chamaecyparis Obtusa) Stem Ferment Extract
Moderate
Similar safety
Antimicrobial, antioxidant, humectant
(Licorice/Reynoutria Japonica) Root/Stem Extract
Moderate
Similar safety
Skin conditioning, antioxidant
(SH-Pentapeptide-10 6-Aminocaprooyl SH-Pentapeptide-11) SP
Moderate
Similar safety
Skin/hair conditioning (peptide-based...
1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,7-Octahydro-2,5,5-Trimethyl-2-Naphthol
Moderate
Similar safety
Fragrance ingredient
1,2,3,4,4a,7,8,8a-Octahydro-2,4a,5,8a-Tetramethyl-Naphthyl Formate
Moderate
Similar safety
Fragrance ingredient
Acetanilid
Poor
Chemical family
Historical antipyretic/analgesic; no ...
Benzyl Butyrate
Good
Chemical family
Perfuming / Fragrance ingredient
Benzyl Isobutyrate
Good
Chemical family
Perfuming / Fragrance ingredient
Is Acetaminophen in Your Products?
Scan any product label with Piro — our free ingredient scanner. Point your camera at the ingredients list and get instant safety scores for every ingredient.
Try Piro Free →Analyze Your Full Ingredient List
Paste any INCI list into the Decoder for instant safety analysis, or calculate the Margin of Safety for Acetaminophen in your formulation.