Is Hexyl Cinnamal safe in cosmetics?
Hexyl Cinnamal has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: restricted. US status: permitted. 1 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Hexyl Cinnamal
Also known as: Hexyl cinnamic aldehyde (Octanal, 2-(phenylmethylene)-) (.alpha.-Hexylcinnamaldehyde), Hexyl cinnamic aldehyde, Octanal, 2-(phenylmethylene)-, alpha-Hexylcinnamaldehyde, Cinnamaldehyde, alpha-hexyl- (+12 more)
INCI: HEXYL CINNAMAL
Hexyl Cinnamal (CAS 101-86-0) is a cosmetic fragrance functioning as Skin Conditioning. Reported NOAEL =100 mg/kg bw/day in Rat (ECHA); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted, max Mandatory labeling in leave-on products at >0.001%; rinse-off >0.01%. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in food safety data.
Function
Skin Conditioning
Editorial assessment
MODERATE
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
restricted
EU Max Conc.
Mandatory labeling in leave-on products at >0.001%; rinse-off >0.01%
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
IFRA restricts by product category; high-volume fragrance ingredient; widely used in consumer products
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Hexyl Cinnamal.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
1 study endpoint found for Hexyl Cinnamal. 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 | =100 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | developmental | ECHA |
Sensitization Profile
Contact sensitization data for Hexyl Cinnamal based on clinical patch test studies and IFRA standards.
Sensitization Rate
low
Allergen Class
fragrance
EU Allergen Listed
yes
Patch Test Positive Rate
0.5%
Cross-reactivity Group
fragrance-mix-II
Reaction Type
contact-dermatitis
IFRA Restricted
Source: ESSCA/IVDK
Dermal Penetration Profile
Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of Hexyl Cinnamal, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.
Absorption %
15-25%
Penetration Level
epidermis
Penetration Depth
epidermis
Molecular Weight
202.3 Da
Log P
4.8
Systemic Absorption
yes
Topical Bioavailability
10-20%
Safety Margin Factor
high
Vehicle Dependent
Yes — absorption varies by formulation
Source: SCCS Opinion
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAEL | =30 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | chronic | EFSA |
| LD50 | >3000 mg/kg | Rabbit | dermal | acute | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =100 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =100 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | ECHA |
| NOAEL | >=1000 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | ECHA |
| NOAEL | >=1000 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | ECHA |
| LOEL | =30 % w/v | Mouse | dermal | short-term | ECOTOX |
| NOEL | =30 % w/v | Mouse | dermal | short-term | ECOTOX |
| LD50 | =2300 mg/kg | Mouse | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
| LD50 | =3100 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
Sensitization AOP Dashboard
Adverse Outcome Pathway data across 5 assays (DPRA, KeratinoSens, hCLAT, LLNA, NESIL) aggregated from public sources.
DPRA Cys %
-0.2%
DPRA Lys %
-0.9%
KeratinoSens IC50
43.79 µM
hCLAT CV75
37 µg/mL
LLNA EC3
10.6%
NESIL
7776 µg/cm²
LLNA: Weak (1B)
GHS: 1B
Human: positive
Source: LLNA: Loveless et al. (1996) | Basketter et al. (1999); DPRA: Gerberick et al. 2007 [DOI:10.1093/toxsci/kfm064] | Nukada et al. 2013 [DOI:10.1016/j.tiv.2012.11.006]; KS: Emter et al. 2010 [DOI:10.1016/j.taap.2010.03.009] | Joint Research Centre of the European Union 2014; hCLAT: Sakaguchi et al. 2010 [DOI:10.1016/j.tiv.2010.05.012] | Bauch et al. 2011 [DOI:10.1016/j.tiv.2011.05.030]; HPPT: [42] Kligman AM (1973): Report to RIFM, 9 October, unpublished.
HRIPT Human Patch Test Studies
5 human repeat insult patch tests aggregated from dermatological literature.
| Test Type | N | Sensitized | Dose µg/cm² | NESIL µg/cm² | Potency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HRIPT | 103 | 0 | 23620 | 23620 | non-sensitizer |
| HMT | - | 0 | 7776 | - | - |
| HMT | - | 0 | 7776 | - | - |
| HRIPT | - | 0 | 23622 | - | - |
| HRIPT | - | 0 | - | - | - |
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: fragrance
Receptor targets: ERα (limited)
LOEC: 100 µM
EU status: allowed (allergen labeling ≥0.001% leave-on)
weak modulator
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)
BRIN Brazil/India Cosmetics
Brazil: Restricted (Fragrance Allergen) · max >0.001% leave-on / >0.01% rinse-off requires labeling
India: Restricted
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (1)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| AU | banned | - | fragrances |
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 | 4.51-61.1 | In vitro human SABS; [14C]-labelled | Human skin (RIFM SABS method) | RIFM 2021; used as read-across (2021) |
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Deodorizer
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Regulatory List Membership (5)
EU Restricted for Children (Cosmetics)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Consumer Product Chemical
EU CosIng Cosmetics Ingredient Database
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Hexyl Cinnamal — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
fragrance-allergen
eu-annex-iii
fm-ii
patch-test-standard
mandatory-label
high-volume
eu_children_restricted
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
eu_cosing_listed
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Hexyl Cinnamal by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
1
Lowest NOAEL
100 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
100 mg/kg bw/day
ECHA
Dermal Absorption
View details ->| Absorption % | Method | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 4.51-61.1 | In vitro human SABS; [14C]-labelled | Cosmetic formulation |
Known Synonyms
Hexyl cinnamic aldehyde (Octanal, 2-(phenylmethylene)-) (.alpha.-Hexylcinnamaldehyde)
Hexyl cinnamic aldehyde
Octanal, 2-(phenylmethylene)-
alpha-Hexylcinnamaldehyde
Cinnamaldehyde, alpha-hexyl-
EINECS 202-983-3
FEMA No. 2569
2-Benzylideneoctanal
2-Hexylcinnamaldehyde
alpha-Hexylcinnamic aldehyde
alpha-Hexylcinnamyl aldehyde
alpha-Hexyl-beta-phenylacrolein
alpha-n-Hexyl-beta-phenylacrolein
2-Hexyl-3-phenyl-2-propenal
NSC 406799
UNII-7X6O37OK2I
Hexyl cinnamaldehyde
Chemical Function
Fragrance
Regulatory Lists
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Vehicle - car interior
detected; Europe; Vehicle - car interior
Europe
Cleaning products and household care - air freshener; Europe
Cleaning products and household care - air freshener; Europe
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Vehicle - car interior
artificial_sweat; detected; emissions; Europe; Toys and children's products
artificial_sweat; detected; emissions; Europe; Toys and children's products
air; Cleaning products and household care - air freshener; detected; emissions; Europe
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Vehicle - car interior
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Vehicle - car interior
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
IFRA Transparency
Europe
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
detected; Europe; Vehicle - car interior
Europe; Personal care - body hygiene - hand soap
Europe; Vehicle - car interior
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
ALPHA-HEXYLCINNAMALDEHYDE
ADI
No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent mg/kg bw
Food Category
flavoring
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hexyl Cinnamal allowed in the EU?
Hexyl Cinnamal EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: Mandatory labeling in leave-on products at >0.001%; rinse-off >0.01%. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Hexyl Cinnamal do in cosmetics?
Hexyl Cinnamal functions as: Skin Conditioning. It is classified as a Fragrance in our database. CAS number: 101-86-0.
What is the NOAEL for Hexyl Cinnamal?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Hexyl Cinnamal is =100 mg/kg bw/day based on a developmental study via oral route in Rat. Source: ECHA.
Is Hexyl Cinnamal used outside cosmetics?
Hexyl Cinnamal 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 Hexyl Cinnamal 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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