Is Glutathione safe in cosmetics?
Glutathione has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Glutathione
Also known as: Glycine, L-.gamma.-glutamyl-L-cysteinyl-, Glycine, L-gamma-glutamyl-L-cysteinyl-, L-γ-Glutamyl-L-cysteinylglycine, Atomolan, GSH (+13 more)
Glutathione (CAS 70-18-8) is a cosmetic antioxidant functioning as Fragrance; Reducing agent. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted, max 0.1–2%. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in pharmaceutical data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 70-18-8 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
Fragrance; Reducing agent
Safety Rating
EXCELLENT
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
EU Max Conc.
0.1–2%
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Permitted in cosmetics; no FDA restrictions; used in anti-aging, brightening, and anti-pollution formulations; liposomal and encapsulated forms preferred for topical bioavailability
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Glutathione.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Dermal Penetration Profile
Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of Glutathione, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.
Absorption %
0.5-2%
Penetration Level
surface
Penetration Depth
stratum corneum
Molecular Weight
307.3 Da
Log P
-3.5
Systemic Absorption
minimal
Topical Bioavailability
0.2-1%
Safety Margin Factor
minimal
Vehicle Dependent
Yes — absorption varies by formulation
Source: J Cosmet Dermatol 2017
Typical Use Concentrations
Reported concentration ranges per product category from SCCS/CIR/industry sources.
| Product Category | Typical Range | Max Reported | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serum | 0.1–2 | 2 | Industry |
Additional Ingredient Properties
10 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
acne
{"cas_number": "70-18-8", "anti_acne_mechanism": "anti_inflammatory", "comedogenicity_rating_0_to_5": "0", "acne_type_efficacy": "inflammatory", "sebum_reduction_pct_clinical": "0-10", "prescription_required_usa": "No", "otc_drug_monograph_category": "No", "max_otc_concentration_pct": "No limit", "japan_quasi_drug_anti_acne": "No", "korea_functional_cosmetic_acne": "No", "eu_cosmetic_restriction_a…
amino_acid
{"cas_number": "70-18-8", "ingredient_class": "tripeptide", "source_origin": "fermentation", "molecular_weight_range_Da": "307", "amino_acid_composition_key": "glutamic_acid_cysteine_glycine", "charge_at_pH_5_5": "anionic", "water_solubility": "soluble", "oil_solubility": "insoluble", "film_forming_ability": "poor", "moisture_binding_capacity": "moderate", "NMF_component": "no", "skin_penetration_…
anti_aging
{"anti_aging_claim": "antioxidant-protection, brightening", "mechanism_of_action": "Cofactor for enzymatic reactions, antioxidant activity", "target_skin_layer": "epidermis", "collagen_stimulation": "Mild", "elastin_protection": "Mild", "wrinkle_reduction_pct": "10-20", "clinical_study_duration_weeks": "12", "sample_size": "30", "double_blind": "Yes", "placebo_controlled": "Yes", "published_journa…
anti_pollution
{"cas_number": "70-18-8", "ingredient_class": "antioxidant_pollution_shield/detoxifying_agent", "primary_mechanism": "free_radical_scavenging", "pollution_types_targeted": "PM2_5/heavy_metals", "IR_A_protection": "no", "visible_light_protection": "no", "digital_screen_protection_claim": "no", "PAH_neutralization": "no", "ozone_protection": "no", "mitochondrial_protection": "no", "Nrf2_activation":…
antioxidant
{"cas_number": "70-18-8", "antioxidant_class": "thiol", "chemical_subclass": "tripeptide", "molecular_weight_daltons": "307.32", "orac_value_umol_te_per_g": "1400", "dpph_radical_scavenging_ic50_ug_per_ml": "25-40", "abts_trolox_equivalent": "0.75", "singlet_oxygen_quenching": "high", "superoxide_dismutase_mimetic": "moderate", "hydroxyl_radical_scavenging": "very high", "lipid_peroxidation_inhibi…
baby_pediatric
{"cas_number": "70-18-8", "ingredient_class": "other", "pediatric_safety_rating": "good", "minimum_age_months": "12", "neonatal_safe": "no", "premature_infant_safe": "insufficient_data", "skin_barrier_maturity_consideration": "Tripeptide antioxidant", "transepidermal_absorption_risk_pediatric": "low", "systemic_exposure_concern_pediatric": "low", "dose_per_kg_body_weight_concern": "Appropriate dos…
concentration
{"min_concentration_pct": "0.1", "max_concentration_pct": "1.0", "typical_concentration_pct": "0.5", "product_type": "Moisturizer", "function_at_concentration": "Antioxidant", "source": "Clinical literature"}
cost_pricing
{"cost_tier": "premium", "estimated_cost_per_kg_usd_low": "180", "estimated_cost_per_kg_usd_high": "320", "natural_premium_markup_pct": "0", "organic_certified_premium_pct": "0", "supply_chain_volatility": "medium", "primary_source_region": "Japan/China", "bulk_discount_threshold_kg": "10", "seasonal_price_variation": "medium", "commodity_or_specialty": "specialty", "substitute_ingredients": "Vita…
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Fragrance
Reducing agent
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Glutathione.
Regulatory Flags
anti-pollution
phase-ii-detox
master-antioxidant
tripeptide
skin-brightening
liposomal-preferred
stability-sensitive
pollutant-metabolite-quencher
vitamin-c-synergy
Known Synonyms
Glycine, L-.gamma.-glutamyl-L-cysteinyl-
Glycine, L-gamma-glutamyl-L-cysteinyl-
L-γ-Glutamyl-L-cysteinylglycine
Atomolan
GSH
High Thione Extract YH 15
ReadiSorb
GLUTATHIONE REDUCED
L-Glutathione reduced
EINECS 200-725-4
gamma-L-Glutamylcysteinylglycine
Glutathione SH
L-Glutatione
NSC 400639
Panaron
UNII-GAN16C9B8O
(2S)-2-amino-4-{[(1R)-1-[(carboxymethyl)carbamoyl]-2-sulfanylethyl]carbamoyl}butanoic acid
Copren
Chemical Function
Reducing agent
Fragrance
Regulatory Lists
Canada; pharmaceutical
Canada; pharmaceutical
Canada; pharmaceutical
Canada; consumer_product; Substances in Products - Canada (4/2014)
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Compound
GLUTATHIONE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL1543
Max Phase
3
Adverse Event Associations
726
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Glutathione allowed in the EU?
Glutathione EU regulatory status: permitted. Maximum allowed concentration: 0.1–2%. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Glutathione do in cosmetics?
Glutathione functions as: Fragrance; Reducing agent. It is classified as a Antioxidant in our database. CAS number: 70-18-8.
Is Glutathione used outside cosmetics?
Glutathione also appears in pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check Glutathione 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 multiple jurisdictions
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions
Related Ingredients
Ascorbic Acid
Excellent
Same category
Antioxidant; ROS scavenger; vitamin E...
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
Excellent
Same category
Antioxidant, skin brightening
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Excellent
Same category
Lipophilic antioxidant; ester of asco...
Astaxanthin
Excellent
Same category
Antioxidant; carotenoid; singlet oxyg...
Beta-Carotene Safety Data
Excellent
Same category
Antioxidant
Catalase
Excellent
Same category
Enzymatic antioxidant; preventive ant...
1-Methylhydantoin-2-imide (Creatinine)
Excellent
Similar safety
Skin conditioning (skin brightening/l...
2,6-Dimethyl-7-octen-2-ol (Dihydromyrcenol)
Excellent
Similar safety
Fragrance (perfuming), masking
2-Ethoxy-2,6,6-Trimethyl-9-Methylenebicyclo[3.3.1]Nonane (Boisiris™)
Excellent
Similar safety
Fragrance (rich woody, orris/iris roo...
2-Hydroxypropylcarbamato Amodimethicone
Excellent
Similar safety
Hair conditioning; modified aminosili...
2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Excellent
Similar safety
Softener and conditioner
3 O Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Excellent
Similar safety
Antioxidant; tyrosinase inhibitor; me...
Asparagine
Excellent
Chemical family
Skin conditioning, hair conditioning
Hexachlorophene
Moderate
Chemical family
Preservative
L-Ornithine
Excellent
Chemical family
Skin conditioning, Antistatic
Is Glutathione 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 Glutathione in your formulation.