Is Isohexadecane safe in cosmetics?
Isohexadecane has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
GOOD
Emollient
Isohexadecane
Also known as: EINECS 224-506-8, UNII-918X1OUF1E, heptamethylnonane, isocetane
INCI: ISOHEXADECANE
Isohexadecane (CAS 4390-04-9) is a cosmetic emollient functioning as emollient/solvent/vehicle. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data.
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Isohexadecane is classified GHS Danger (H301, H304, H311, H315, H319, H350) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu status; Chemicals: ghs classifications.signal word/hazard statement code
Function
emollient/solvent/vehicle
Editorial assessment
GOOD
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Reviewed by CIR Expert Panel under IsoParaffins group assessment (2012). Concluded safe in present practices of use and concentration in cosmetics. No FDA cosmetic restrictions or prohibitions. Not a sunscreen active; functions as emollient/solvent/vehicle when present in sunscreen formulations.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Isohexadecane.
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
1,000 - 10,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Fragrance
Regulatory List Membership (1)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Isohexadecane — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
eu-unrestricted
cir-approved
no-sccs-opinion
ifra_fragrance
Known Synonyms
EINECS 224-506-8
UNII-918X1OUF1E
heptamethylnonane
isocetane
Chemical Function
Fragrance
Regulatory Lists
IFRA Transparency
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
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.
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL3561882
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Isohexadecane allowed in the EU?
Isohexadecane EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Isohexadecane do in cosmetics?
Isohexadecane functions as: emollient/solvent/vehicle. It is classified as a Emollient in our database. CAS number: 4390-04-9.
Is Isohexadecane used outside cosmetics?
Isohexadecane also appears in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Does Isohexadecane have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Isohexadecane is classified GHS Danger (H301, H304, H311, H315, H319, H350) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Compliance Tools
Check Isohexadecane 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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