Moderate Cosmetic Ingredient NOAEL Data

Ammonium Thioglycolate

INCI: AMMONIUM THIOGLYCOLATE

CAS Number
5421-46-5
Function
Reducing agent for permanent waving, hair straightening, and depilation
Safety Rating
MODERATE

Regulatory Status

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ EU Status restricted
EU Max Conc. 8%
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ US Status permitted
US Notes Permitted; FDA does not set max concentrations but CIR has reviewed it. Widely used in OTC perms and depilatories.

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

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
not established
Dermal Absorption
high
Sensitization
low

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Toxicological Studies

4 study endpoints found for Ammonium Thioglycolate. 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 >=172 mg/kg bw/day dermal - dermal REACH
NOAEL 19 mg/kg bw/day oral - oral REACH
NOAEL >=344 mg/kg bw/day dermal - dermal REACH
NOAEL 0.5 other dermal code:3484 dermal REACH

Expert Verdict

Strong odor from H2S release; highly alkaline formulations cause irritation. Mandatory warnings required on label including 'Contains thioglycolate,' 'Keep away from children,' and eye contact warnings. Not to be used on eyelashes.

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Concern Level: Moderate

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ammonium Thioglycolate safe in cosmetics?

Strong odor from H2S release; highly alkaline formulations cause irritation. Mandatory warnings required on label including 'Contains thioglycolate,' 'Keep away from children,' and eye contact warnings. Not to be used on eyelashes. The EU classifies Ammonium Thioglycolate as "restricted". Safety rating: MODERATE. 4 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.

Is Ammonium Thioglycolate allowed in the EU?

Ammonium Thioglycolate EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: 8%. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Ammonium Thioglycolate do in cosmetics?

Ammonium Thioglycolate functions as: Reducing agent for permanent waving, hair straightening, and depilation. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 5421-46-5.

What is the Margin of Safety for Ammonium Thioglycolate?

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.

What is the NOAEL for Ammonium Thioglycolate?

The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Ammonium Thioglycolate is >=172 mg/kg bw/day based on a dermal study via dermal route in rat. A total of 4 study endpoints are available. Source: REACH.

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