Is Hydroxyethoxyphenyl Butanone (HEPB) safe in cosmetics?
Hydroxyethoxyphenyl Butanone (HEPB) has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: restricted.
Moderate
Cosmetic Ingredient
Hydroxyethoxyphenyl Butanone (HEPB)
INCI: HYDROXYETHOXYPHENYL BUTANONE
Hydroxyethoxyphenyl Butanone (HEPB) (CAS 569646-79-3) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Preservative, Skin Conditioning. NOAEL 100 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted, max 0.7%. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 569646-79-3 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Hydroxyethoxyphenyl Butanone (HEPB) is classified GHS Danger (H228, H302, H315, H319, H335, H412) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics at max 0.7%.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status/eu_max; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
Preservative, Skin Conditioning
Safety Rating
MODERATE
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
4-(3-ethoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)butan-2-one
InChIKey
MXLOKFOWFPJWCW-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
EU Max Conc.
0.7%
US US Status
restricted
US Notes
Not specifically restricted; permitted for cosmetic use
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Hydroxyethoxyphenyl Butanone (HEPB).
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Hydroxyethoxyphenyl Butanone (HEPB) across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
EU CosIng Annex Listing
European Commission CosIng database Annex references per Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009.
Annex V — Permitted Preservatives
Product type: Allowed for use as a preservative in rinse off, oral care and leave-on cosmetic products at a maximum concentration of 0,7 % in ready for use preparation.
Max: 0.7 %
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 (V - Preservatives)
Product type: Allowed for use as a preservative in rinse off, oral care and leave-on cosmetic products at a maximum concentration of 0,7 % in ready for use preparation.. Max: 0.007.
BRIN Brazil/India Cosmetics
Brazil: Permitted Preservative · max 0,7%
India: Permitted Preservative · max 0.007
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (1)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| BR | permitted_preservative | 0.7 | - |
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_sccs_opinion | 50.0% | - | - | SCCS/1582/16 |
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Preservative
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 Hydroxyethoxyphenyl Butanone (HEPB).
Regulatory Flags
preservative
eu_cosing_listed
Dermal Absorption
View details ->| Absorption % | Method | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 50.0% | SCCS opinion extraction | - |
Chemical Function
Preservative
Regulatory Lists
Europe; Personal care
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hydroxyethoxyphenyl Butanone (HEPB) allowed in the EU?
Hydroxyethoxyphenyl Butanone (HEPB) EU regulatory status: permitted. Maximum allowed concentration: 0.7%. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Hydroxyethoxyphenyl Butanone (HEPB) do in cosmetics?
Hydroxyethoxyphenyl Butanone (HEPB) functions as: Preservative, Skin Conditioning. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 569646-79-3.
Is Hydroxyethoxyphenyl Butanone (HEPB) used outside cosmetics?
Hydroxyethoxyphenyl Butanone (HEPB) also appears in industrial chemical safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Does Hydroxyethoxyphenyl Butanone (HEPB) have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Hydroxyethoxyphenyl Butanone (HEPB) is classified GHS Danger (H228, H302, H315, H319, H335, H412) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics at max 0.7%.
Compliance Tools
Check Hydroxyethoxyphenyl Butanone (HEPB) 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
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HYDROXYETHOXYPHENYL BUTANONE
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Preservative, Skin Conditioning
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HYDRASTIS CANADENSIS EXTRACT
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