Dihydroxyacetic Acid

INCI: DIHYDROXYACETIC ACID

CAS Number
563-96-2 (glyoxylic acid monohydrate / 2,2-dihydroxyacetic acid)
Function
Skin conditioning with keratin-smoothing properties; used in hair treatments
Safety Rating
MODERATE

Regulatory Status

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ EU Status permitted
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ US Status permitted
US Notes Not specifically listed in 21 CFR prohibited/restricted; however FDA has issued warnings on formaldehyde-releasing hair-smoothing products

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

Safety Data

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

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Expert Verdict

Potential formaldehyde release under heat is a key concern; SCCS has flagged glyoxylic acid derivatives in hair straightening products. Must demonstrate formaldehyde levels below 0.2% (EU limit for non-preservative incidental presence) and requires pH-dependent irritancy assessment and formaldehyde release testing for CPSR.

โš ๏ธ
Concern Level: Moderate

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dihydroxyacetic Acid safe in cosmetics?

Potential formaldehyde release under heat is a key concern; SCCS has flagged glyoxylic acid derivatives in hair straightening products. Must demonstrate formaldehyde levels below 0.2% (EU limit for non-preservative incidental presence) and requires pH-dependent irritancy assessment and formaldehyde release testing for CPSR. The EU classifies Dihydroxyacetic Acid as "permitted". Safety rating: MODERATE.

Is Dihydroxyacetic Acid allowed in the EU?

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

What does Dihydroxyacetic Acid do in cosmetics?

Dihydroxyacetic Acid functions as: Skin conditioning with keratin-smoothing properties; used in hair treatments. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 563-96-2 (glyoxylic acid monohydrate / 2,2-dihydroxyacetic acid).

What is the Margin of Safety for Dihydroxyacetic 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.

๐Ÿ“ฑ

Is Dihydroxyacetic Acid in Your Products?

Scan any product label with Piro โ€” our free ingredient scanner. Point your camera at the ingredients list and get instant safety scores for every ingredient.

Try Piro Free โ†’

Analyze Your Full Ingredient List

Paste any INCI list into the Decoder for instant safety analysis, or calculate the Margin of Safety for Dihydroxyacetic Acid in your formulation.