Is Camphor safe in cosmetics?
Camphor has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: restricted. US status: permitted. 4 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Camphor
Also known as: dl-Camphor, Camphor - (C10H16O), 0-07-00-00135, 4-07-00-00213, Bornane, 2-oxo- (+15 more)
INCI: CAMPHOR
Camphor (CAS 76-22-2) is a cosmetic active ingredient functioning as Sensory modifier; cooling/warming agent; antipruritic. NOAEL 250 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted, max 11% in non-mucous-membrane products; prohibited in products for children under 3 years. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data.
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Camphor is classified GHS Danger (H228, H302, H315, H332, H371, H373) in the chemicals database but is restricted in EU cosmetics at max 11% in non-mucous-membrane products; prohibited in products for children under 3 years.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu status/eu max; Chemicals: ghs classifications.signal word/hazard statement code
Function
Sensory modifier; cooling/warming agent; antipruritic
Editorial assessment
MODERATE
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
restricted
EU Max Conc.
11% in non-mucous-membrane products; prohibited in products for children under 3 years
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Permitted in cosmetics at appropriate concentrations; classified as external analgesic in OTC drug context; FDA has restrictions on camphor-containing products
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Camphor.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
4 study endpoints found for Camphor. 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 | 800 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Developmental | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | =250 mg/kg bw/day | dermal | Rat | subchronic | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =1000 mg/kg bw/day | dermal | Mouse | subchronic | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =6000 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | reproduction developmental | ECHA |
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is irritating to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. The substance may cause effects on the central nervous system. This may result in convulsions and respiratory depression. Ingestion could cause death.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation and by ingestion.
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Camphor across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
Sensitization Profile
Contact sensitization data for Camphor based on clinical patch test studies and IFRA standards.
Sensitization Rate
low
Allergen Class
fragrance
EU Allergen Listed
yes
Patch Test Positive Rate
0.1%
Cross-reactivity Group
none
Reaction Type
contact-dermatitis
IFRA Restricted
Source: SCCS Opinion
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
5 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAEL | =6000 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | ECHA |
| LEL | =400 mg/kg-day | Mouse | dermal | - | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =1000 mg/kg-day | Mouse | dermal | - | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =250 mg/kg-day | Rat | dermal | - | ECHA |
| LD50 | =1310 mg/kg | Mouse | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
1,000 - 10,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE; GROUP
SVHC Candidate
No
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.
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (2)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN | restricted | 11 | Oral care and leave-on products |
| CA | restricted | 3% | All cosmetics |
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Deodorizer
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Pharmaceutical
Plasticizer
Regulatory List Membership (5)
EU Regulated in Personal Care
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
FDA Indirect Food Contact Additives
Consumer Product Chemical
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Camphor — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
eu-restricted
avoid-children-under-3
trpv3-agonist
trpa1-agonist
concentration-dependent-toxicity
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Camphor by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
4
Lowest NOAEL
250 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
6000 mg/kg bw/day
ECHA
COSMOS DB
Known Synonyms
dl-Camphor
Camphor - (C10H16O)
0-07-00-00135
4-07-00-00213
Bornane, 2-oxo-
BRN 1907611
BRN 3196099
Camphor, synthetic
Caswell No. 155
EINECS 200-945-0
EINECS 244-350-4
EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 015602
Matricaria camphor
Norcamphor, 1,7,7-trimethyl-
1,7,7-Trimethylbicyclo(2.2.1)-2-heptanone
Huile de camphre
UNII-5TJD82A1ET
Zang Qi
Cinnamomum camphora
2-keto-1,7,7-trimethylnorcamphane
Chemical Function
Fragrance
Pharmaceutical
Plasticizer
Deodorizer
Regulatory Lists
IFRA Transparency
active_ingredient; Europe; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
CEDI
Indirect additives food contact (10/2018)
air; consumer_product; detected; emissions
consumer_product; detected
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
air; detected; emissions; Personal care
air; Cleaning products and household care; detected; emissions
air; Cleaning products and household care - air freshener; detected; emissions
active_ingredient; animal_products; Europe; pharmaceutical; residue
detected; Europe; Personal care - sexual wellness
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
CAMPHOR
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL15768
Max Phase
3
Adverse Event Associations
24
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Camphor allowed in the EU?
Camphor EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: 11% in non-mucous-membrane products; prohibited in products for children under 3 years. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Camphor do in cosmetics?
Camphor functions as: Sensory modifier; cooling/warming agent; antipruritic. It is classified as a Active Ingredient in our database. CAS number: 76-22-2.
What is the NOAEL for Camphor?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Camphor is 800 mg/kg bw/day based on a Developmental study via oral route in rat. A total of 4 study endpoints are available. Source: COSMOS DB.
Is Camphor used outside cosmetics?
Camphor 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 Camphor have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Camphor is classified GHS Danger (H228, H302, H315, H332, H371, H373) in the chemicals database but is restricted in EU cosmetics at max 11% in non-mucous-membrane products; prohibited in products for children under 3 years.
Compliance Tools
Check Camphor 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
Related Ingredients
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
EXCELLENT
Same category
Anti-edema peptide for periorbital ar...
Activated Charcoal
EXCELLENT
Same category
Adsorbent; skin cleanser; pore-cleans...
Adenosine
EXCELLENT
Same category
Skin-conditioning agent, anti-aging, ...
Allantoin
EXCELLENT
Same category
Skin conditioner, keratolytic, anti-i...
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
EXCELLENT
Same category
prebiotic, skin-conditioning
Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract
EXCELLENT
Same category
Skin Brightening, Tyrosinase Inhibito...
(20S)-Protopanaxadiol
MODERATE
Similar safety
(Cnidium Officinale/Coptis Chinensis/Glycyrrhiza Uralensis) Root Extract
MODERATE
Similar safety
Skin conditioning
(Cryptomeria Japonica/Chamaecyparis Obtusa) Stem Ferment Extract
MODERATE
Similar safety
Antimicrobial, antioxidant, humectant
(Eclipta Prostrata/Houttuynia Cordata) Leaf Extract
MODERATE
Similar safety
Skin conditioning
(Lepidium Meyenii/Sarcodon Aspratus) Root Water
MODERATE
Similar safety
Skin conditioning
(Licorice/Reynoutria Japonica) Root/Stem Extract
MODERATE
Similar safety
Skin conditioning, antioxidant
Benzilic Acid
POOR
Chemical family
No assigned cosmetic function in CosI...
Bromocresol Green
MODERATE
Chemical family
Hair colorant, pH indicator
Bromothymol Blue
MODERATE
Chemical family
Hair colorant (non-oxidative hair dye)
Is Camphor in Your Products?
Scan any product label with Piro — our free ingredient scanner. Point your camera at the ingredients list and get instant safety scores for every ingredient.
Try Piro Free →Analyze Your Full Ingredient List
Paste any INCI list into the Decoder for instant safety analysis, or calculate the Margin of Safety for Camphor in your formulation.