BHA
Regulatory Status
For full compliance data across 55 jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
10 study endpoints found for BHA. 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 | 2000 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Subchronic | COSMOS_DB |
| NOAEL | 2000 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Short Term Toxicity | COSMOS_DB |
| NOAEL | 2000 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Short Term Toxicity | COSMOS_DB |
| NOAEL | 1000 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Short Term Toxicity | COSMOS_DB |
| NOAEL | 1200 mg/kg bw/day | oral | hamster | Subchronic | COSMOS_DB |
| NOAEL | 2000 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Short Term Toxicity | COSMOS_DB |
| NOAEL | 250 mg/kg bw/day | oral | dog | Subchronic | COSMOS_DB |
| NOAEL | 1200 mg/kg bw/day | oral | hamster | Subchronic | COSMOS_DB |
| NOAEL | 125 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Carcinogenicity | COSMOS_DB |
| NOAEL | 250 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Carcinogenicity | COSMOS_DB |
Safety Opinions
Official safety assessments from the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) and Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR).
Expert Verdict
SCCS/1682/25 (Oct 2025, preliminary): safe at ≤0.07% in leave-on and rinse-off products with all MoS values exceeding threshold of 100. Weak anti-estrogenic and anti-androgenic signals demonstrated in vitro and in vivo at high doses with insufficient data for point-of-departure; EDC concern formally flagged by SCCS. EU restriction forthcoming at ≤0.07%. California Prop 65 listed carcinogen. CIR FAR Sep 2024 under review. More regulatory concern than BHT due to stronger EDC signals. Oral care and inhalation products excluded. Reformulation pressure increasing in EU.
Regulatory Flags
Frequently Asked Questions
Is BHA safe in cosmetics?
SCCS/1682/25 (Oct 2025, preliminary): safe at ≤0.07% in leave-on and rinse-off products with all MoS values exceeding threshold of 100. Weak anti-estrogenic and anti-androgenic signals demonstrated in vitro and in vivo at high doses with insufficient data for point-of-departure; EDC concern formally flagged by SCCS. EU restriction forthcoming at ≤0.07%. California Prop 65 listed carcinogen. CIR FAR Sep 2024 under review. More regulatory concern than BHT due to stronger EDC signals. Oral care and inhalation products excluded. Reformulation pressure increasing in EU. The EU classifies BHA as "restricted". Safety rating: GOOD. 10 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database. This ingredient has been reviewed by sccs.
Is BHA allowed in the EU?
BHA EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: 0.07%. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does BHA do in cosmetics?
BHA functions as: Antioxidant; synthetic chain-breaking free radical scavenger (SET/HAT mechanism); product preservative against oxidative degradation in oils and waxes. It is classified as a Antioxidant in our database. CAS number: 25013-16-5.
What is the Margin of Safety for BHA?
adequate 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 BHA?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for BHA is 2000 mg/kg bw/day based on a Subchronic study via oral route in rat. A total of 10 study endpoints are available. Source: COSMOS_DB.
Compliance Tools
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Related Ingredients
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