Poor Cosmetic Ingredient NOAEL Data GHS Classified

Imidazole

INCI: IMIDAZOLE

CAS Number

288-32-4

Function

Buffering agent

Safety Rating

POOR

Regulatory Status

🇪🇺 EU Status prohibited

🇺🇸 US Status restricted

US Notes Not specifically restricted by FDA for cosmetics, but classified as reproductive toxicant; no CIR assessment

For full compliance data across 55 jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)

not established

Dermal Absorption

negligible

Sensitization

moderate

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Toxicological Studies

4 study endpoints found for Imidazole. 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	60 mg/kg bw/day	oral	rat	oral	REACH
NOAEL	125 mg/kg bw/day	oral	rat	oral	REACH
NOAEL	62.5 mg/kg bw/day	oral	rat	oral	REACH
NOAEL	90 mg/kg bw/day	oral	rat	oral	REACH

GHS Hazard Classification

Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.

Signal Word

DANGER

Pictograms

corr; excl mark;warn; cancer;health haz

Hazard Statements

Harmful if swallowed Causes severe skin burns and eye damage Suspected of damaging fertility or the unborn child

Short-term Exposure Effects

The substance is corrosive to the skin. The substance is severely irritating to the eyes. The substance is irritating to the respiratory tract.

Long-term Exposure Effects

Animal tests show that this substance possibly causes toxicity to human reproduction or development.

Routes of Exposure

The substance can be absorbed into the body by ingestion.

Expert Verdict

Reproductive toxicity Cat 1B (H360D); skin corrosive Cat 1C; acute oral toxicity Cat 4 (LD50 rat oral 970 mg/kg); do not formulate in cosmetics for EU market

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Concern Level: High

Regulatory Flags

eu_banned_cosmetics eu_cosing_listed

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Imidazole safe in cosmetics?

Reproductive toxicity Cat 1B (H360D); skin corrosive Cat 1C; acute oral toxicity Cat 4 (LD50 rat oral 970 mg/kg); do not formulate in cosmetics for EU market The EU classifies Imidazole as "prohibited". Safety rating: POOR. 4 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.

Is Imidazole allowed in the EU?

Imidazole EU regulatory status: prohibited. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Imidazole do in cosmetics?

Imidazole functions as: Buffering agent. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 288-32-4.

What is the Margin of Safety for Imidazole?

not established The Margin of Safety (MoS) is calculated using SCCS methodology. A MoS above 100 is generally considered safe. Use the MoS Calculator tool to calculate MoS for your specific formulation and product category.

What is the NOAEL for Imidazole?

The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Imidazole is 60 mg/kg bw/day based on a oral study via oral route in rat. A total of 4 study endpoints are available. Source: REACH.

Is Imidazole classified as hazardous under GHS?

Imidazole carries a GHS signal word of "DANGER". Hazard statements: Harmful if swallowed Causes severe skin burns and eye damage Suspected of damaging fertility or the unborn child. This classification is based on the ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Card and ECHA C&L inventory data. Note: GHS classification applies to the pure substance — at cosmetic use concentrations, hazard thresholds may not be met.

Compliance Tools

Check Imidazole compliance across multiple jurisdictions:

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Ingredient Decoder

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82 Allergen Checker

Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens

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Substance Compliance

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MoS Calculator

Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology

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Heavy Metal Limits

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