Is Beta-Glucan safe in cosmetics?
Beta-Glucan has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
EXCELLENT
Active Ingredient
Beta-Glucan
INCI: BETA-GLUCAN
Beta-Glucan (CAS 26874-89-5) is a cosmetic active ingredient functioning as Skin-conditioning agent, humectant, immunomodulator (beta-1,3/1,6-glucan;. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 26874-89-5 →
Function
Skin-conditioning agent, humectant, immunomodulator (beta-1,3/1,6-glucan; anti-inflammatory; moisture retention; stimulates skin immune defense)
Editorial assessment
EXCELLENT
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Permitted; no US concentration cap. Oat-derived; closely related to FDA-approved colloidal oatmeal. HRIPT induction: 1.0% low-level reactions; 0 allergies among 445,820 products sold over 3 years. Effective at 0.1–0.5%.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Beta-Glucan.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Typical Use Concentrations
Reported concentration ranges per product category from SCCS/CIR/industry sources.
| Product Category | Typical Range | Max Reported | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serum | 0.1–1 | 2 | CIR Safety Assessment |
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Filler
Softener and conditioner
Regulatory List Membership (2)
EU Regulated in Personal Care
EU Restricted for Children (Cosmetics)
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Beta-Glucan — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
active
immunomodulator
film-forming
soothing
wound-healing
macrophage-stimulant
anti-inflammatory
oat-derived
natural-origin
sensitive-skin
atopic-dermatitis-target
baby-safe
0.1-0.5pct-effective-dose
2-week-sustained-moisturizing
eu_children_restricted
Chemical Function
Softener and conditioner
Filler
Regulatory Lists
children
Europe
Personal care
children
Europe
Personal care - general moisturizing - hand/body lotion
Europe
Personal care
Europe
Personal care
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Beta-Glucan allowed in the EU?
Beta-Glucan EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Beta-Glucan do in cosmetics?
Beta-Glucan functions as: Skin-conditioning agent, humectant, immunomodulator (beta-1,3/1,6-glucan; anti-inflammatory; moisture retention; stimulates skin immune defense). It is classified as a Active Ingredient in our database. CAS number: 26874-89-5.
Compliance Tools
Check Beta-Glucan compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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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
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