Is Gold safe in cosmetics?
Gold has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Excellent
Cosmetic Ingredient
Gold
Also known as: CI Pigment metal 3, EINECS 231-165-9, Gold, colloidal, Magnesium gold purple, UNII-79Y1949PYO (+10 more)
INCI: GOLD
Gold (CAS 7440-57-5) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Colorant, skin conditioning, slip modifier, surface modifier. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in food safety data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 7440-57-5 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
Colorant, skin conditioning, slip modifier, surface modifier
Safety Rating
EXCELLENT
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Permitted as non-color cosmetic ingredient without specific restriction. Not specifically listed in 21 CFR 73/74 as approved color additive.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Gold.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
100 - 1,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
EU CosIng Annex Listing
European Commission CosIng database Annex references per Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009.
Annex IV — Permitted Colorants
Product type: Brown
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 (IV - Colorants)
BRIN Brazil/India Cosmetics
India: Permitted Colorant
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (2)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN | permitted_colorant | - | All cosmetics (Class 1) |
| ASEAN | permitted_colorant | - | All products |
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Biocide
Dye
Plating agent
Softener and conditioner
Regulatory List Membership (2)
EU Regulated in Personal Care
EU CosIng Cosmetics Ingredient Database
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Gold.
Regulatory Flags
colorant
eu_cosing_listed
jecfa_concern
Known Synonyms
CI Pigment metal 3
EINECS 231-165-9
Gold, colloidal
Magnesium gold purple
UNII-79Y1949PYO
Aurum metallicum
79Au
Au
aurum
or
oro
gold atom
Au(0)
Aun
gold(0)
Chemical Function
Dye
Biocide
Softener and conditioner
Plating agent
Regulatory Lists
Arts and crafts/Office supplies - body paint - tattoo ink; detected; Europe
Arts and crafts/Office supplies - body paint - tattoo ink; detected; Europe
Arts and crafts/Office supplies - body paint - tattoo ink; detected; Europe
Arts and crafts/Office supplies - body paint - tattoo ink; detected; Europe
pharmaceutical
Europe; Personal care
Canada; pharmaceutical
Europe; Personal care - hair coloring
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in food safety data.
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
Gold
E Number
E175
ADI
NO ADI ALLOCATED mg/kg bw
Food Category
colorant
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gold allowed in the EU?
Gold EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Gold do in cosmetics?
Gold functions as: Colorant, skin conditioning, slip modifier, surface modifier. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 7440-57-5.
Is Gold used outside cosmetics?
Gold also appears in food safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check Gold 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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