Is Alpha-Terpinene safe in cosmetics?
Alpha-Terpinene has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: restricted. US status: permitted. 2 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Alpha-Terpinene
Also known as: 1-Methyl-4-(propan-2-yl)cyclohexa-1,3-diene, 1,3-Cyclohexadiene, 1-methyl-4-isopropyl-, EINECS 202-795-1, FEMA No. 3558, alpha-Terpinen (+8 more)
INCI: ALPHA-TERPINENE
Alpha-Terpinene (CAS 99-86-5) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Fragrance. NOAEL 30 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 99-86-5 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Alpha-Terpinene is classified GHS Danger (H226, H302, H304, H317, H319, H411, H412, H336) in the chemicals database but is restricted in EU cosmetics.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
Fragrance
Safety Rating
MODERATE
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
1-methyl-4-propan-2-ylcyclohexa-1,3-diene
InChIKey
YHQGMYUVUMAZJR-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
restricted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Not specifically restricted by FDA; FEMA GRAS for food flavoring
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Alpha-Terpinene.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
2 study endpoints found for Alpha-Terpinene. 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 | 60 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Developmental | COSMOS_DB |
| NOAEL | =30 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | developmental | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Alpha-Terpinene across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Danger
Pictograms
FlammableHarmful / IrritantHealth HazardEnvironmental Hazard
Hazard Class and Category
Flam. Liq. 3; Acute Tox. 4; Asp. Tox. 1; Skin Sens. 1; Aquatic Chronic 2
Hazard Statements
- H226 Flammable liquid and vapour
- H302 Harmful if swallowed
- H304 May be fatal if swallowed and enters airways
- H317 May cause an allergic skin reaction
- H411 Toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects
Specific Concentration Limits / M-factors
oral: ATE = 1680.0 mg/kg bw
Inserted via ATP: ATP17
HRIPT Human Patch Test Studies
2 human repeat insult patch tests aggregated from dermatological literature.
| Test Type | N | Sensitized | Dose µg/cm² | NESIL µg/cm² | Potency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HRIPT | 110 | 0 | 2244 | 2244 | non-sensitizer |
| HMT | - | 0 | 3240 | - | - |
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
100 - 1,000 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.
SA Saudi SFDA (III - Restricted)
BRIN Brazil/India Cosmetics
India: Restricted
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (1)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| KR | prohibited | - | - |
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (1)
Endocrine Disruptors
Potential endocrine disrupting compound
Source: NORMAN Suspect List Exchange
Regulatory (4)
JECFA Number
1339
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
JECFA Evaluation
alpha-TERPINENE | 2004 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | TRS 928-JECFA 63/64 | FAS 54-JECFA 63/235
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
JECFA Evaluation
TERPILENE | 2004 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | TRS 928-JECFA 63/64 | FAS 54-JECFA 63/235
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
JECFA Evaluation
p-MENTHA-1,3-DIENE | 2004 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | TRS 928-JECFA 63/64 | FAS 54-JECFA 63/235
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Regulatory List Membership (3)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
EU CosIng Cosmetics Ingredient Database
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Alpha-Terpinene.
Regulatory Flags
essential-oil
potential-allergen
fragrance-component
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
eu_cosing_listed
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Alpha-Terpinene by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
2
Lowest NOAEL
30 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
60 mg/kg bw/day
COSMOS_DB
ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID
Known Synonyms
1-Methyl-4-(propan-2-yl)cyclohexa-1,3-diene
1,3-Cyclohexadiene, 1-methyl-4-isopropyl-
EINECS 202-795-1
FEMA No. 3558
alpha-Terpinen
UNII-I24X278AP1
1-Isopropyl-4-methyl-cyclohexa-1,3-diene
1-Isopropyl-4-methylcyclohexa-1,3-diene
1-Methyl-4-isopropyl-1,3-Cyclohexadiene
1-Methyl-4-isopropylcyclohexadiene-1,3
FEMA 3558
a-Terpinene
alpha -Terpinene
Chemical Function
Fragrance
Flavouring and nutrient
Regulatory Lists
Europe; Personal care; restricted
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
air; consumer_product; detected; emissions
air; Cleaning products and household care - laundry and fabric treatment; detected; emissions
air; detected; emissions; Personal care
air; Cleaning products and household care; detected; emissions
air; Cleaning products and household care - air freshener; detected; emissions
Europe
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
IFRA Transparency
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
ALPHA-TERPINENE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL2251642
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Alpha-Terpinene allowed in the EU?
Alpha-Terpinene EU regulatory status: restricted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Alpha-Terpinene do in cosmetics?
Alpha-Terpinene functions as: Fragrance. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 99-86-5.
What is the NOAEL for Alpha-Terpinene?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Alpha-Terpinene is 60 mg/kg bw/day based on a Developmental study via oral route in rat. A total of 2 study endpoints are available. Source: COSMOS_DB.
Is Alpha-Terpinene used outside cosmetics?
Alpha-Terpinene also appears in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Does Alpha-Terpinene have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Alpha-Terpinene is classified GHS Danger (H226, H302, H304, H317, H319, H411, H412, H336) in the chemicals database but is restricted in EU cosmetics.
Compliance Tools
Check Alpha-Terpinene 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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