Borago Officinalis Leaf Extract

INCI: BORAGO OFFICINALIS LEAF EXTRACT

CAS Number
84012-16-8 (same species CAS; leaf-specific designation may vary)
Function
Skin conditioning
Safety Rating
POOR

Regulatory Status

🇪🇺 EU Status permitted
🇺🇸 US Status permitted
US Notes Not individually reviewed by CIR

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

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
adequate
Dermal Absorption
moderate
Sensitization
moderate

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Expert Verdict

Borage leaves contain the highest PA (pyrrolizidine alkaloid) concentrations in the plant. Unsaturated PAs are genotoxic with no safe threshold per EFSA opinion. A qualified safety assessor may reject this ingredient unless the supplier provides validated PA quantification showing <1 µg/kg total unsaturated PAs and certificate confirming extraction method minimizes PA carryover. Not recommended for leave-on products without full PA clearance.

⚠️
Concern Level: High

Regulatory Flags

plant-extract natural-origin

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Borago Officinalis Leaf Extract safe in cosmetics?

Borage leaves contain the highest PA (pyrrolizidine alkaloid) concentrations in the plant. Unsaturated PAs are genotoxic with no safe threshold per EFSA opinion. A qualified safety assessor may reject this ingredient unless the supplier provides validated PA quantification showing <1 µg/kg total unsaturated PAs and certificate confirming extraction method minimizes PA carryover. Not recommended for leave-on products without full PA clearance. The EU classifies Borago Officinalis Leaf Extract as "permitted". Safety rating: POOR.

Is Borago Officinalis Leaf Extract allowed in the EU?

Borago Officinalis Leaf Extract EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Borago Officinalis Leaf Extract do in cosmetics?

Borago Officinalis Leaf Extract functions as: Skin conditioning. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 84012-16-8 (same species CAS; leaf-specific designation may vary).

What is the Margin of Safety for Borago Officinalis Leaf Extract?

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.

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