Is Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate safe in cosmetics?
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Excellent
Emollient
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Also known as: EINECS 291-445-1
INCI: CETEARYL ETHYLHEXANOATE
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate (CAS 90411-68-0) is a cosmetic emollient functioning as Ester of cetearyl alcohol (C16/C18 fatty alcohol) and 2-ethylhexanoic acid. NOAEL 1000 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 90411-68-0 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
Ester of cetearyl alcohol (C16/C18 fatty alcohol) and 2-ethylhexanoic acid (branched C8). Light, non-greasy emollient with excellent skin feel. Branched-chain structure prevents crystalline packing, staying liquid at room temperature. Functions as emollient, skin-conditioning agent, and formulation aesthetic enhancer in premium leave-on and rinse-off products.
Safety Rating
EXCELLENT
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
hexadecyl 2-ethylhexanoate
InChIKey
XJNUECKWDBNFJV-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
CIR reviewed and considered safe at current cosmetic use concentrations. Synthetically defined with excellent batch-to-batch consistency. Branched-chain 2-ethylhexanoate component confers oxidative stability. Non-greasy sensory profile makes it a premium choice in serums, sunscreens, and lightweight day creams.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
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
SVHC Candidate
No
Additional Ingredient Properties
5 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
comedogenicity_detail
{"comedogenicity_rating": "2", "irritancy_rating": "0", "skin_type_suitability": "all,dry,combination,normal", "acne_safe": "caution", "source": "Emollient ester"}
concentration
{"min_concentration_pct": "3.0", "max_concentration_pct": "20.0", "typical_concentration_pct": "10.0", "product_type": "Body Lotion", "function_at_concentration": "Emollient", "source": "CIR Safety Assessment"}
cost_pricing
{"cost_tier": "mid-range", "estimated_cost_per_kg_usd_low": "14", "estimated_cost_per_kg_usd_high": "26", "natural_premium_markup_pct": "0", "organic_certified_premium_pct": "0", "supply_chain_volatility": "low", "primary_source_region": "Global", "bulk_discount_threshold_kg": "200", "seasonal_price_variation": "low", "commodity_or_specialty": "specialty", "substitute_ingredients": "Ethylhexyl Pal…
ecotoxicity
{"biodegradable": "yes", "biodegradation_days": "60-90", "bioaccumulative": "no", "aquatic_toxicity_level": "low", "coral_reef_safe": "yes", "marine_toxicity": "low aquatic toxicity", "freshwater_toxicity": "minimal impact", "endocrine_disruptor": "no", "persistent_organic_pollutant": "no", "microplastic": "no", "nano_particle": "no", "hawaii_banned": "no", "eu_restricted_environmental": "no", "pa…
hair_care
{"hair_function": "conditioning", "hair_type_suitability": "all", "curl_pattern_suitability": "all", "porosity_suitability": "all", "protein_sensitivity": "neutral", "moisture_protein_balance": "yes", "cg_method_approved": "not-a-silicone", "silicone_type": "not-a-sulfate", "sulfate_type": "no", "drying_alcohol": "no", "fatty_alcohol": "no", "heat_protectant": "yes", "color_safe": "neutral", "kera…
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Anti-static agent
Fragrance
Plasticizer
Softener and conditioner
Stabilizing agent
Regulatory List Membership (2)
EU Regulated in Personal Care
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate.
Regulatory Flags
premium-emollient
light-sensory
synthetically-defined
non-greasy
oxidatively-stable
cir-assessed
ifra_fragrance
Known Synonyms
EINECS 291-445-1
Chemical Function
Softener and conditioner
Plasticizer
Anti-static agent
Stabilizing agent
Fragrance
Regulatory Lists
Europe; Personal care
Europe; Personal care
Europe; Personal care
Europe; Personal care
Europe; plastic_additive
IFRA Transparency
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate allowed in the EU?
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate do in cosmetics?
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate functions as: Ester of cetearyl alcohol (C16/C18 fatty alcohol) and 2-ethylhexanoic acid (branched C8). Light, non-greasy emollient with excellent skin feel. Branched-chain structure prevents crystalline packing, staying liquid at room temperature. Functions as emollient, skin-conditioning agent, and formulation aesthetic enhancer in premium leave-on and rinse-off products.. It is classified as a Emollient in our database. CAS number: 90411-68-0.
Is Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate used outside cosmetics?
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate also appears in industrial chemical safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate 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
Alkyl Benzoate
Excellent
Same category
Emollient; skin-conditioning agent; U...
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Excellent
Same category
Plant-derived emollient oil from arga...
Babassu Oil
Excellent
Same category
Skin Conditioning - Emollient: Soften...
Babassu Oil
Excellent
Same category
Emollient; lauric acid-rich tropical oil
Beeswax
Excellent
Same category
Wax; viscosity modifier; film-former
Behenic Acid
Excellent
Same category
Cleansing, Emulsifier, Opacifier, Sur...
1-Methylhydantoin-2-imide (Creatinine)
Excellent
Similar safety
Skin conditioning (skin brightening/l...
2,6-Dimethyl-7-octen-2-ol (Dihydromyrcenol)
Excellent
Similar safety
Fragrance (perfuming), masking
2-Ethoxy-2,6,6-Trimethyl-9-Methylenebicyclo[3.3.1]Nonane (Boisiris™)
Excellent
Similar safety
Fragrance (rich woody, orris/iris roo...
2-Hydroxypropylcarbamato Amodimethicone
Excellent
Similar safety
Hair conditioning; modified aminosili...
2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Excellent
Similar safety
Softener and conditioner
3 O Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Excellent
Similar safety
Antioxidant; tyrosinase inhibitor; me...
4-Ethyl-6-(2,6,6-Trimethyl-2-Cyclohexenyl)-2-Hexene-1,4-Diol Cyclized
Good
Chemical family
Perfuming agent (fragrance)
C12-13 Alkyl Ethylhexanoate
Good
Chemical family
Skin conditioning agent — emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Ethylhexanoate
Excellent
Chemical family
Emollient, Skin Conditioning Agent
Is Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate 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 Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate in your formulation.