Is DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) safe in cosmetics?
DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) has a safety rating of "POOR" in our database. EU status: prohibited. US status: permitted. 3 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide)
Also known as: Methyl sulfoxide, DMSO, Methane, sulfinylbis-, Caswell No. 381, Demasorb (+15 more)
INCI: DIMETHYL SULFOXIDE
DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) (CAS 67-68-5) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Solvent / penetration enhancer. NOAEL 1000 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: prohibited; GHS signal word WARNING. 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.
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) is prohibited in EU cosmetics but has active industrial GHS classifications (H315, H319, H335, H227, H371).
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu status; Chemicals: ghs classifications.signal word/hazard statement code
Function
Solvent / penetration enhancer
Editorial assessment
POOR
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
methylsulfinylmethane
InChIKey
IAZDPXIOMUYVGZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
prohibited
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Permitted for cosmetics — no specific 21 CFR prohibition; FDA-approved as a prescription drug (Rimso-50) for interstitial cystitis
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide).
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
3 study endpoints found for DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide). NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) values are used to calculate the Margin of Safety per SCCS methodology.
| Endpoint | Value | Route | Species | Study Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAEL | =500 mg/kg bw/day | injection | Rat | repeat dose other | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =1650 mg/kg bw/day | dermal | Pig | chronic | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =3300 mg/kg bw/day | dermal | Monkey | chronic | ECHA |
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Signal Word
WARNING
Hazard Statements
Combustible liquid
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is mildly irritating to the eyes and skin. Exposure to high concentrations could cause lowering of consciousness. May accelerate skin absorption of other materials. See Notes.
Long-term Exposure Effects
The substance defats the skin, which may cause dryness or cracking.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation, through the skin and by ingestion.
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
10 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEL | =83083.4 mg/m3 | Human | inhalation | - | DOE Protective Action Criteria |
| NOAEL | =1000 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | EFSA |
| LOEL | =25 uL | Mouse | dermal | short-term | ECOTOX |
| NOEL | =25 uL | Mouse | dermal | short-term | ECOTOX |
| LOAEC | =2.783 mg/L | Rat | inhalation | subchronic | HPVIS |
| NOAEC | =0.964 mg/L | Rat | inhalation | subchronic | HPVIS |
| LD50 | ~40000 mg/kg | Rat | dermal | - | ECHA |
| LD50 | ~50000 mg/kg | Mouse | dermal | - | ECHA |
| LD50 | =28300 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ECHA |
| LD50 | =21400 mg/kg | Mouse | oral | - | ECHA |
Sensitization AOP Dashboard
Adverse Outcome Pathway data across 5 assays (DPRA, KeratinoSens, hCLAT, LLNA, NESIL) aggregated from public sources.
DPRA Cys %
0.4%
DPRA Lys %
1.2%
KeratinoSens IC50
2000 µM
hCLAT CV75
5000 µg/mL
LLNA EC3
72%
NESIL
46552 µg/cm²
LLNA: NC (non-sensitizer)
GHS: not classified
Human: positive
Source: LLNA: Gerberick et al. (2005); DPRA: Hoffmann et al., 2018; KS: No reference provided in NICEATM database; hCLAT: No reference provided in NICEATM database; HPPT: [27] Kligman AM (1966): https://doi.org/10.1038/jid.1966.160
HRIPT Human Patch Test Studies
2 human repeat insult patch tests aggregated from dermatological literature.
| Test Type | N | Sensitized | Dose µg/cm² | NESIL µg/cm² | Potency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HMT | - | 0 | 46551.72 | - | - |
| OECD_DA_Human | - | 0 | - | - | Non-sensitizer |
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
10,000 - 100,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
EU CosIng Annex Listing
European Commission CosIng database Annex references per Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009.
Annex II — Prohibited
Ref: 338
(EC) 2009/1223
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 (II - Prohibited)
ASEAN Cosmetic Directive (II)
Ref: 338
BRIN Brazil/India Cosmetics
Brazil: Prohibited
India: Prohibited (GNRAS)
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (4)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| IN | banned | - | all cosmetics |
| CA | banned | - | - |
| ASEAN | banned | - | All cosmetic products prohibited |
| KR | prohibited | - | - |
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (3)
Carcinogen Classification
No indication of carcinogenicity to humans (not listed by IARC).
Source: Toxin and Toxin Target Database (T3DB)
ICSC Safety Card
0459
Source: WHO/JECFA
Skin Eye Respiratory Irritation
Skin irritation can develop at the site where DMSO is applied topically.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Regulatory (5)
JECFA Number
507
Source: WHO/JECFA
JECFA Evaluation
DIMETHYL SULFOXIDE | 1999 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | TRS 896-JECFA 53/32 | FAS 44-JECFA 53/125
Source: WHO/JECFA
JECFA Evaluation
METHYL SULFOXIDE | 1999 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | TRS 896-JECFA 53/32 | FAS 44-JECFA 53/125
Source: WHO/JECFA
JECFA Evaluation
METHYLSULFINYLMETHANE | 1999 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | TRS 896-JECFA 53/32 | FAS 44-JECFA 53/125
Source: WHO/JECFA
JECFA Evaluation
DMSO | 1999 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | TRS 896-JECFA 53/32 | FAS 44-JECFA 53/125
Source: WHO/JECFA
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Solvent
Regulatory List Membership (4)
EU Banned in Cosmetics
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
EU CosIng Cosmetics Ingredient Database
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
eu_banned_cosmetics
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
eu_cosing_listed
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
3
Lowest NOAEL
500 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
3300 mg/kg bw/day
ECHA
Known Synonyms
Methyl sulfoxide
DMSO
Methane, sulfinylbis-
Caswell No. 381
Demasorb
Doligur
EINECS 200-664-3
EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 000177
Methylsulfinylmethane
NSC-763
Dimethyli sulfoxidum
Dimetilsolfossido
UNII-YOW8V9698H
(CH3)2SO
(methylsulfinyl)methane
Dimethyl sulfoxixde
Dimethyl sulpoxide
S(O)Me2
dimethyl sulfur oxide
methanesulfinylmethane
Chemical Function
Solvent
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Regulatory Lists
active_ingredient; Australia
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
pharmaceutical
pharmaceutical
pharmaceutical
pharmaceutical
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
Canada; pharmaceutical
banned; Europe; Personal care
active_ingredient; animal_products; Europe; pharmaceutical; residue
pharmaceutical
pharmaceutical
IFRA Transparency
Europe
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
DIMETHYL SULFOXIDE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL504
Max Phase
4
Adverse Event Associations
149
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
DIMETHYL SULFOXIDE
Food Category
flavoring
Frequently Asked Questions
Is DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) allowed in the EU?
DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) EU regulatory status: prohibited. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) do in cosmetics?
DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) functions as: Solvent / penetration enhancer. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 67-68-5.
What is the NOAEL for DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide)?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) is =500 mg/kg bw/day based on a repeat dose other study via injection route in Rat. A total of 3 study endpoints are available. Source: ECHA.
Is DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) classified as hazardous under GHS?
DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) carries a GHS signal word of "WARNING". Hazard statements: Combustible liquid. This classification is based on the ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Card and ECHA C&L inventory data. Note: GHS classification applies to the pure substance — at cosmetic use concentrations, hazard thresholds may not be met.
Is DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) used outside cosmetics?
DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) 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.
Does DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) is prohibited in EU cosmetics but has active industrial GHS classifications (H315, H319, H335, H227, H371).
Compliance Tools
Check DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) 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
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