Poor Cosmetic Ingredient

Diethyl Toluamide (DEET)

INCI: DIETHYL TOLUAMIDE

CAS Number
134-62-3
Function
Insect repellent (biocidal function, not a cosmetic function)
Safety Rating
POOR

Regulatory Status

🇪🇺 EU Status prohibited
🇺🇸 US Status permitted
US Notes Regulated by EPA as a pesticide (FIFRA), not by FDA as a cosmetic; inclusion in a cosmetic product would trigger EPA jurisdiction

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

Safety Data

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

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Expert Verdict

Neurotoxicity concerns especially in children under 2 years (contraindicated); restricted in biocidal use for children 2-12 years; product containing DEET would be reclassified as biocide, not cosmetic; must include ingestion deterrents in biocidal formulations

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Concern Level: High

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Diethyl Toluamide (DEET) safe in cosmetics?

Neurotoxicity concerns especially in children under 2 years (contraindicated); restricted in biocidal use for children 2-12 years; product containing DEET would be reclassified as biocide, not cosmetic; must include ingestion deterrents in biocidal formulations The EU classifies Diethyl Toluamide (DEET) as "prohibited". Safety rating: POOR.

Is Diethyl Toluamide (DEET) allowed in the EU?

Diethyl Toluamide (DEET) EU regulatory status: prohibited. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Diethyl Toluamide (DEET) do in cosmetics?

Diethyl Toluamide (DEET) functions as: Insect repellent (biocidal function, not a cosmetic function). It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 134-62-3.

What is the Margin of Safety for Diethyl Toluamide (DEET)?

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 Diethyl Toluamide (DEET) compliance across multiple jurisdictions:

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Ingredient Decoder
Paste a full ingredient list for instant analysis
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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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