Excellent Preservative SCCS/CIR Reviewed

Caprylhydroxamic Acid

INCI: CAPRYLHYDROXAMIC ACID

CAS Number
7377-03-9
Function
preservative booster, chelating agent
Safety Rating
EXCELLENT

Regulatory Status

🇪🇺 EU Status permitted
🇺🇸 US Status permitted
US Notes No restrictions; widely used in clean and natural preservative systems

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

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
adequate
Dermal Absorption
moderate
Sensitization
none

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Safety Opinions

Official safety assessments from the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) and Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR).

cir
Verdict: safe
NOAEL: 50 mg/kg bw/d (oral)

ation-induction-level (WoE NESIL) of 1056 μg/cm2. The Panel concluded that Caprylhydroxamic Acid is safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration described in this safety assessment. Keywords Cosmetic Ingredient Review, Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety, Safety, Cosmetics

cir
Verdict: safe
NOAEL: 50 mg/kg bw/d (oral)

ation-induction-level (WoE NESIL) of 1056 μg/cm2. The Panel concluded that Caprylhydroxamic Acid is safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration described in this safety assessment. Keywords Cosmetic Ingredient Review, Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety, Safety, Cosmetics

cir
Verdict: safe
NOAEL: 500 mg/kg bw/d (oral)

ation-induction-level (WoE NESIL) of 1056 μg/cm2. The Panel concluded that Caprylhydroxamic Acid is safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration described in this safety assessment. Keywords Cosmetic Ingredient Review, Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety, Safety, Cosmetics

cir
Verdict: safe
NOAEL: 1.17 mg/kg bw/d (oral)

ation-induction-level (WoE NESIL) of 1056 μg/cm2. The Panel concluded that Caprylhydroxamic Acid is safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration described in this safety assessment. Keywords Cosmetic Ingredient Review, Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety, Safety, Cosmetics

Expert Verdict

A standout ingredient for pH-flexible formulations, active from pH 3–8 with broad antimicrobial efficacy across nearly the entire cosmetic pH range. Functions as both a preservative booster and chelating agent by disrupting metal-dependent microbial metabolism, making it invaluable in hurdle systems where pH cannot be tightly controlled. One of the best options for clean, broad-pH preservative systems with very low sensitization potential.

⚠️
Concern Level: None

Regulatory Flags

preservative-booster chelating hurdle-technology broad-ph-range paraben-free clean-beauty multifunctional

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Caprylhydroxamic Acid safe in cosmetics?

A standout ingredient for pH-flexible formulations, active from pH 3–8 with broad antimicrobial efficacy across nearly the entire cosmetic pH range. Functions as both a preservative booster and chelating agent by disrupting metal-dependent microbial metabolism, making it invaluable in hurdle systems where pH cannot be tightly controlled. One of the best options for clean, broad-pH preservative systems with very low sensitization potential. The EU classifies Caprylhydroxamic Acid as "permitted". Safety rating: EXCELLENT. This ingredient has been reviewed by cir.

Is Caprylhydroxamic Acid allowed in the EU?

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

What does Caprylhydroxamic Acid do in cosmetics?

Caprylhydroxamic Acid functions as: preservative booster, chelating agent. It is classified as a Preservative in our database. CAS number: 7377-03-9.

What is the Margin of Safety for Caprylhydroxamic Acid?

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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