Is Acetic Acid safe in cosmetics?
Acetic Acid has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Acetic Acid
Also known as: Vinegar, 4-02-00-00094, BRN 0506007, Caswell No. 003, EINECS 200-580-7 (+15 more)
INCI: ACETIC ACID
Acetic Acid (CAS 64-19-7) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Buffering agent, pH adjuster, fragrance ingredient. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted; GHS signal word DANGER. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety, pharmaceutical, and food safety data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 64-19-7 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Acetic Acid is classified GHS Danger (H226, H314, H318) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu status; Chemicals: ghs classifications.signal word/hazard statement code
Function
Buffering agent, pH adjuster, fragrance ingredient
Safety Rating
GOOD
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
FDA GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe); permitted in cosmetics without 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 Acetic Acid.
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.
Signal Word
DANGER
Pictograms
FlamFlameCorrExcl markWarnCancerHealth haz
Hazard Statements
Flammable liquid and vapour Harmful in contact with skin or if inhaled May be harmful if swallowed Causes severe skin burns and eye damage May cause respiratory irritation Causes damage to the respiratory tract through prolonged or repeated exposure if inhaled Harmful to aquatic life
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is corrosive to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. Corrosive on ingestion. Inhalation may cause lung oedema, but only after initial corrosive effects on eyes and/or airways have become manifest.
Long-term Exposure Effects
Repeated or prolonged contact with skin may cause dermatitis. Lungs may be affected by repeated or prolongated exposure to an aerosol of this substance. Risk of tooth erosion upon repeated or prolongated exposure to an aerosol of this substance.
Routes of Exposure
Serious local effects by all routes of exposure.
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
10 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAEL | >=1600 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | ECHA |
| NOAEL | >=1600 mg/kg-day | Mouse | oral | - | ECHA |
| NOAEC | =10 mg/m3 | Human | inhalation | short-term | EFSA |
| NOAEL | =16 mg/kg-day | Rabbit | oral | - | EFSA |
| OEL | =24.5613 mg/m3 | Human | inhalation | - | EU SCOEL |
| LEL | =98245.1 mg/m3 | Human | inhalation | - | DOE Protective Action Criteria |
| LOEL | =75 uL | Rat | dermal | subchronic | ECOTOX |
| LOEL | =3 % | Rat | environmental | acute | ECOTOX |
| NOAEL | >=1600 mg/kg-day | Rabbit | oral | - | ECHA |
| NOAEL | >=1600 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | ECHA |
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Danger
Pictograms
FlammableCorrosive
Hazard Class and Category
Flam. Liq. 3; Skin Corr. 1A
Hazard Statements
- H226 Flammable liquid and vapour
- H314 Causes severe skin burns and eye damage
Specific Concentration Limits / M-factors
Skin Corr. 1A; H314: C ≥ 90.0%; Skin Corr. 1B; H314: 25.0% ≤ C < 90.0%; Skin Irrit. 2; H315: 10.0% ≤ C < 25.0%; Eye Irrit. 2; H319: 10.0% ≤ C < 25.0%
Inserted via ATP: CLP00
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
1,000,000 - 10,000,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Hazard classification: Restricted (Annex XVII)
Expanded Jurisdictional Detail
Additional regulatory detail beyond the 7-jurisdiction summary: Saudi SFDA, Korea MFDS, ASEAN ACD, Japan/Korea, Brazil/India, and cross-jurisdictional restriction entries.
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (1)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| AU | restricted | 30.0 | various |
Expanded Dermal Absorption Data
Cross-database dermal penetration: EPA Dryad physics-based, Roberts Mendeley permeation, and SCCS-aggregated measured values.
Roberts Skin Permeation (Mendeley 2022)
MW: 60.05
Log Kow: -0.17
Log Kp: -2.3979400086720375
Log Jmax: -4.1476763242410986
Source: Roberts Cheruvu Mendeley 2022
Additional Ingredient Properties
3 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
microbiome
{"cas_number": "64-19-7", "ingredient_class": "postbiotic", "microbial_source_genus": "Acetobacter", "microbial_source_species": "various", "fermentation_substrate": "wine", "live_organism_content": "no", "bioactive_components": "organic_acids", "molecular_weight_range_Da": "60", "pH_of_ingredient": "2.5-3.5", "mechanism_of_action": "pH_modulation/antimicrobial_peptide", "skin_microbiome_effect": …
ph_stability
{"stable_ph_min": "2.0", "stable_ph_max": "6.0", "ph_dependent_function": "Acidifier", "formulation_note": "Vinegar smell", "source": "Formulation literature"}
skin_suitability
{"oily_skin": "acceptable", "dry_skin": "acceptable", "sensitive_skin": "acceptable", "combination_skin": "acceptable", "normal_skin": "acceptable", "acne_prone": "acceptable", "rosacea": "acceptable", "eczema": "acceptable", "hyperpigmentation": "acceptable", "aging_mature": "acceptable", "dehydrated": "acceptable", "skin_benefit_primary": "pH-adjusting", "skin_benefit_secondary": "antimicrobial"…
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Biocide
Chelating agent
Cleaning agent
Degradant/impurity
Deodorizer
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
No specific technical function
Processing aids not otherwise specified
Solvent
Regulatory List Membership (5)
EU Regulated in Personal Care
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
EPA Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Consumer Product Chemical
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Acetic Acid.
Regulatory Flags
fragrance-component
epa_safer_alternative
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
jecfa_safe
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Acetic Acid by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
15
Lowest NOAEL
74.3 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
1600 mg/kg bw/day
ECHA
Known Synonyms
Vinegar
4-02-00-00094
BRN 0506007
Caswell No. 003
EINECS 200-580-7
EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 044001
FEMA No. 2006
FEMA Number 2006
Pyroligneous acid
Acetic acid 0.25% in plastic container
Acido acetico
Azijnzuur
Octowy kwas
Aceticum acidum
AcOH
CH3-COOH
CH3CO2H
E 260
E-260
E260
Chemical Function
pH regulating agent
Deodorizer
Fragrance
Flavouring and nutrient
Regulatory Lists
drinking_water; Europe; manufacturing; plastic_additive
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Europe; Pesticides
inert_ingredient; Pesticides
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
Cons electronics mech appliances and machinery; Europe
Cleaning products and household care - shoes; Europe
Cleaning products and household care - shoes; Europe
air; Arts and crafts/Office supplies - fabric treatment and dye; detected; emissions; Europe
active_ingredient; Europe; Pesticides
consumer_product; Europe
consumer_product; detected; Europe
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical and food safety data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Compound
ACETIC ACID
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL539
Max Phase
4
Adverse Event Associations
41
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
Acetic acid
E Number
E260
ADI
No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent mg/kg bw
Food Category
preservative
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Acetic Acid allowed in the EU?
Acetic Acid EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Acetic Acid do in cosmetics?
Acetic Acid functions as: Buffering agent, pH adjuster, fragrance ingredient. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 64-19-7.
Is Acetic Acid classified as hazardous under GHS?
Acetic Acid carries a GHS signal word of "DANGER". Hazard statements: Flammable liquid and vapour Harmful in contact with skin or if inhaled May be harmful if swallowed Causes severe skin burns and eye damage May cause respiratory irritation Causes damage to the respiratory tract through prolonged or repeated exposure if inhaled Harmful 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 Acetic Acid used outside cosmetics?
Acetic Acid also appears in industrial chemical safety, pharmaceutical, and food safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Does Acetic Acid have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Acetic Acid is classified GHS Danger (H226, H314, H318) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Compliance Tools
Check Acetic Acid 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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