Is Dihydroxyacetone safe in cosmetics?
Dihydroxyacetone has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: restricted. US status: permitted.
GOOD
Cosmetic Ingredient
Dihydroxyacetone
Also known as: 1,3-Dihydroxypropan-2-one, 4-01-00-04119, BRN 1740268, 1,3-Dihydroxypropanone, EINECS 202-494-5 (+3 more)
INCI: DIHYDROXYACETONE
Dihydroxyacetone (CAS 96-26-4) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Skin Tanning, Skin Conditioning, Hair Colouring. NOAEL 40 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted, max 10% self-tanning; 6.25% non-oxidative hair dye (leave-on). Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety, pharmaceutical, and food safety data.
Function
Skin Tanning, Skin Conditioning, Hair Colouring
Editorial assessment
GOOD
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
1,3-dihydroxypropan-2-one
InChIKey
RXKJFZQQPQGTFL-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
restricted
EU Max Conc.
10% self-tanning; 6.25% non-oxidative hair dye (leave-on)
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
FDA classifies DHA as a color additive approved for external application in sunless tanning products under 21 CFR 73.2150. Not a GRASE sunscreen active. FDA advises against ingestion, inhalation, or mucosal contact.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Dihydroxyacetone.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Dihydroxyacetone across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
Endocrine Disruptor Evidence (Expanded)
Cross-referenced EDC classifications, mechanism data, and dose-response evidence from EDLists, SIN List, and cosmetic-specific detail sources.
Cosmetic-Specific Mechanism
Category: other
Receptor targets: ERα (weak, limited)
LOEC: N/A
EU status: allowed
weak modulator
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; GROUP
SVHC Candidate
No
Expanded Jurisdictional Detail
Additional regulatory detail beyond the 7-jurisdiction summary: Saudi SFDA, Korea MFDS, ASEAN ACD, Japan/Korea, Brazil/India, and cross-jurisdictional restriction entries.
SA Saudi SFDA (III - Restricted)
Product type: (a) Hair dye substance in non-oxidative hair dye products (*) (b) Self-tanning products (*) (*) From 26 January 2022 hair dye and self-tanning products containing that substance and not complying with the restrictions shall not be placed on the Union market. From 22 April 2022 hair dye and self-tanning products containing that substance and not complying with the restrictions shall not be made available on the Union market. Max: (a) 6,25 % (b) 10 %.
BRIN Brazil/India Cosmetics
India: Restricted · max (a) 6,25 % (b) 10 %
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (1)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | restricted | - | - |
Expanded Dermal Absorption Data
Cross-database dermal penetration: EPA Dryad physics-based, Roberts Mendeley permeation, and SCCS-aggregated measured values.
Aggregated DA Values (1 records across 5 sources)
| Type | DA % | Method | Skin Model | SCCS Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| measured_in_vitro | 9.87 | In vitro — Franz diffusion cells | - | SCCS/1347/10; SCCS/1597/18 (2020) (2010) |
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Dye
Flavouring and nutrient
Reducing agent
Softener and conditioner
Regulatory List Membership (1)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Dihydroxyacetone — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
sccs-assessed
eu-annex-iii-restricted
fda-color-additive
non-sensitizing
spray-inhalation-concern
formaldehyde-impurity-monitor
no-cir-opinion
fda_food_additive
Dermal Absorption
View details ->| Absorption % | Method | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 9.87 | In vitro — Franz diffusion cells | o/w self-tanning emulsion; leave-on hair care formulation |
Known Synonyms
1,3-Dihydroxypropan-2-one
4-01-00-04119
BRN 1740268
1,3-Dihydroxypropanone
EINECS 202-494-5
NSC-24343
UNII-O10DDW6JOO
Vitadye
Chemical Function
Softener and conditioner
Reducing agent
Dye
Regulatory Lists
pharmaceutical
Personal care
Canada; pharmaceutical
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical and food safety data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Compound
DIHYDROXYACETONE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL1229937
Max Phase
-1
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
DIHYDROXYACETONE (MONOMER)
Food Category
flavoring
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dihydroxyacetone allowed in the EU?
Dihydroxyacetone EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: 10% self-tanning; 6.25% non-oxidative hair dye (leave-on). This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Dihydroxyacetone do in cosmetics?
Dihydroxyacetone functions as: Skin Tanning, Skin Conditioning, Hair Colouring. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 96-26-4.
Is Dihydroxyacetone used outside cosmetics?
Dihydroxyacetone also appears in industrial chemical safety, pharmaceutical, and food safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check Dihydroxyacetone compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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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
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