Is Idebenone safe in cosmetics?
Idebenone has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Idebenone
Also known as: 6-(10-Hydroxydecyl)-2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone, Idebenona, Idebenonum, UNII-HB6PN45W4J, 2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-6-(10'-hydroxydecyl)-1,4-benzoquinone (+5 more)
INCI: IDEBENONE
Idebenone (CAS 58186-27-9) is a cosmetic antioxidant functioning as Synthetic antioxidant; electron carrier (SET mechanism); CoQ10 analogue with. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted, max No specific EU concentration limit; typical cosmetic use 0.5–1%. 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 58186-27-9 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
Synthetic antioxidant; electron carrier (SET mechanism); CoQ10 analogue with superior skin penetration; free radical scavenger; anti-aging active
Safety Rating
GOOD
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
EU Max Conc.
No specific EU concentration limit; typical cosmetic use 0.5–1%
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Permitted as cosmetic antioxidant ingredient. Not an FDA-recognized OTC sunscreen active (not among the 16 monograph actives). Pharmaceutical idebenone (Raxone) under FDA Priority Review for Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON) with target action date Feb 28, 2026. CIR Final Safety Assessment (March 2022) confirmed safe 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 Idebenone.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Dermal Penetration Profile
Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of Idebenone, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.
Absorption %
8-15%
Penetration Level
epidermis
Penetration Depth
epidermis
Molecular Weight
338.4 Da
Log P
4.2
Systemic Absorption
minimal
Topical Bioavailability
5-12%
Safety Margin Factor
moderate
Vehicle Dependent
Yes — absorption varies by formulation
Source: Arch Dermatol Res 2005
Additional Ingredient Properties
10 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
acne
{"cas_number": "58186-27-9", "anti_acne_mechanism": "anti_inflammatory", "comedogenicity_rating_0_to_5": "1", "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_restrictio…
anti_aging
{"anti_aging_claim": "antioxidant-protection, anti-wrinkle, firming", "mechanism_of_action": "Synthetic CoQ10 analog, more potent antioxidant, protects mitochondria", "target_skin_layer": "epidermis, dermis", "collagen_stimulation": "Moderate", "elastin_protection": "Yes", "wrinkle_reduction_pct": "15-26", "clinical_study_duration_weeks": "12", "sample_size": "21", "double_blind": "Yes", "placebo_…
anti_pollution
{"cas_number": "58186-27-9", "ingredient_class": "antioxidant_pollution_shield", "primary_mechanism": "free_radical_scavenging", "pollution_types_targeted": "PM2_5/UV_A", "IR_A_protection": "no", "visible_light_protection": "no", "digital_screen_protection_claim": "no", "PAH_neutralization": "no", "ozone_protection": "no", "mitochondrial_protection": "no", "Nrf2_activation": "no", "AhR_pathway_mod…
antioxidant
{"cas_number": "58186-27-9", "antioxidant_class": "enzyme", "chemical_subclass": "synthetic ubiquinone", "molecular_weight_daltons": "338.4", "orac_value_umol_te_per_g": "2200", "dpph_radical_scavenging_ic50_ug_per_ml": "10-18", "abts_trolox_equivalent": "1.1", "singlet_oxygen_quenching": "very high", "superoxide_dismutase_mimetic": "yes", "hydroxyl_radical_scavenging": "very high", "lipid_peroxid…
comedogenicity_detail
{"comedogenicity_rating": "0", "irritancy_rating": "0", "skin_type_suitability": "all,oily,sensitive,combination,normal,mature", "acne_safe": "yes", "source": "CoQ10 analog"}
concentration
{"min_concentration_pct": "0.5", "max_concentration_pct": "1.0", "typical_concentration_pct": "0.8", "product_type": "Moisturizer", "function_at_concentration": "Antioxidant", "source": "Clinical literature"}
cost_pricing
{"cost_tier": "luxury", "estimated_cost_per_kg_usd_low": "1200", "estimated_cost_per_kg_usd_high": "2200", "natural_premium_markup_pct": "0", "organic_certified_premium_pct": "0", "supply_chain_volatility": "medium", "primary_source_region": "Japan/US", "bulk_discount_threshold_kg": "1", "seasonal_price_variation": "low", "commodity_or_specialty": "specialty", "substitute_ingredients": "CoQ10, Res…
dermal_absorption
{"molecular_weight_da": "338.4", "log_p_value": "4.2", "skin_penetration_level": "epidermis", "penetration_depth": "epidermis", "absorption_pct": "8-15", "systemic_absorption": "minimal", "penetration_enhancer": "no", "occlusion_effect": "no", "vehicle_dependent": "yes", "skin_barrier_effect": "strengthens", "bioavailability_topical_pct": "5-12", "safety_margin_factor": "moderate", "source": "Arch…
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Antioxidant
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Idebenone.
Regulatory Flags
contact-allergen
cir-approved
no-eu-restriction
antioxidant
low-absorption
pharmaceutical-dual-use
Known Synonyms
6-(10-Hydroxydecyl)-2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone
Idebenona
Idebenonum
UNII-HB6PN45W4J
2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-6-(10'-hydroxydecyl)-1,4-benzoquinone
2-(10-hydroxydecyl)-5,6-dimethoxy-3-methyl-p-benzoquinone
2-(10-hydroxydecyl)-5,6-dimethoxy-3-methylcyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dione
6-(10-hydroxydecyl)-2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-p-benzoquinone
BRN 2001459
CV 2619
Chemical Function
Antioxidant
Regulatory Lists
pharmaceutical
pharmaceutical
pharmaceutical
pharmaceutical
Europe; pharmaceutical
Canada; pharmaceutical
Canada; pharmaceutical
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
IDEBENONE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL252556
Max Phase
4
Adverse Event Associations
111
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Idebenone allowed in the EU?
Idebenone EU regulatory status: permitted. Maximum allowed concentration: No specific EU concentration limit; typical cosmetic use 0.5–1%. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Idebenone do in cosmetics?
Idebenone functions as: Synthetic antioxidant; electron carrier (SET mechanism); CoQ10 analogue with superior skin penetration; free radical scavenger; anti-aging active. It is classified as a Antioxidant in our database. CAS number: 58186-27-9.
Is Idebenone used outside cosmetics?
Idebenone also appears in pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check Idebenone compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
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MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
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