Good Cosmetic Ingredient

Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA

INCI: ETHYLHEXYL DIMETHYL PABA

CAS Number
21245-02-3
Function
UV Filter (UVB absorber)
Safety Rating
GOOD

Regulatory Status

🇪🇺 EU Status restricted
EU Max Conc. 8%
🇺🇸 US Status restricted
US Notes Restricted — listed in FDA OTC Sunscreen Monograph at max 8%; currently classified under Category III (insufficient data for updated GRASE determination) per FDA's 2019 proposed order

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

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
adequate
Dermal Absorption
moderate
Sensitization
low

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Expert Verdict

Restricted UV filter with concentration limits; animal studies indicated epididymal toxicity at high doses; not recommended for infants under 6 months due to uncertain metabolism; rare photoallergy reports; declining use favoring newer broadband alternatives.

⚠️
Concern Level: Moderate

Regulatory Flags

eu_cosing_listed

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA safe in cosmetics?

Restricted UV filter with concentration limits; animal studies indicated epididymal toxicity at high doses; not recommended for infants under 6 months due to uncertain metabolism; rare photoallergy reports; declining use favoring newer broadband alternatives. The EU classifies Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA as "restricted". Safety rating: GOOD.

Is Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA allowed in the EU?

Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: 8%. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA do in cosmetics?

Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA functions as: UV Filter (UVB absorber). It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 21245-02-3.

What is the Margin of Safety for Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA?

adequate 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 Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA 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 55 jurisdictions
 🧮
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
 ⚗️
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions

Related Ingredients

Bacillus Lysate
Moderate
Methoxy PEG-3 Dehydrocholesteryl Succinate
Moderate
Isoamyl p-Methoxycinnamate
Moderate
Isodecyl Salicylate
Good
4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor (4-MBC)
Moderate
Browse all 30,000+ ingredients →
📱

Is Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA 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 Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA in your formulation.

Ingredient Decoder MoS Calculator