Good Emollient

Capric Acid

INCI: CAPRIC ACID

CAS Number
334-48-5
Function
Saturated medium-chain free fatty acid (C10:0). Functions as emollient, skin-conditioning agent, and antimicrobial agent. Paired with caprylic acid in coconut/palm kernel fractionation to produce caprylic/capric triglyceride (MCT). Antimicrobial activity via membrane disruption.
Safety Rating
GOOD

Regulatory Status

🇪🇺 EU Status permitted
🇺🇸 US Status permitted
US Notes Medium-chain saturated fatty acid. Better tolerated at equivalent concentrations than long-chain unsaturated fatty acids. Commonly used in esterified form (caprylic/capric triglyceride) rather than as free acid.

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

Safety Data

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

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Expert Verdict

Saturated medium-chain free fatty acid (C10:0) with antimicrobial activity via membrane disruption. Standard cosmetic use is in esterified form (caprylic/capric triglyceride) which avoids free acid irritation concern while retaining emolliency.

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Concern Level: Low

Regulatory Flags

antimicrobial free-fatty-acid-form use-esterified-preferred epa_safer_alternative ifra_fragrance fda_food_additive

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Capric Acid safe in cosmetics?

Saturated medium-chain free fatty acid (C10:0) with antimicrobial activity via membrane disruption. Standard cosmetic use is in esterified form (caprylic/capric triglyceride) which avoids free acid irritation concern while retaining emolliency. The EU classifies Capric Acid as "permitted". Safety rating: GOOD.

Is Capric Acid allowed in the EU?

Capric Acid EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Capric Acid do in cosmetics?

Capric Acid functions as: Saturated medium-chain free fatty acid (C10:0). Functions as emollient, skin-conditioning agent, and antimicrobial agent. Paired with caprylic acid in coconut/palm kernel fractionation to produce caprylic/capric triglyceride (MCT). Antimicrobial activity via membrane disruption.. It is classified as a Emollient in our database. CAS number: 334-48-5.

What is the Margin of Safety for Capric Acid?

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.

Compliance Tools

Check Capric Acid compliance across multiple jurisdictions:

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Ingredient Decoder
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82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
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Substance Compliance
Check compliance across 55 jurisdictions
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MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
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Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions

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