Is Isopropanolamine safe in cosmetics?
Isopropanolamine has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: restricted. US status: permitted.
Isopropanolamine
Also known as: Monoisopropanolamine, 4-04-00-01665, BRN 0605275, EINECS 201-162-7, UNII-UE40BY1BZW (+5 more)
INCI: ISOPROPANOLAMINE
Isopropanolamine (CAS 78-96-6) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as pH adjuster, buffering agent. NOAEL 100 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted, max 0.5%; GHS signal word DANGER. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 78-96-6 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Isopropanolamine is classified GHS Danger (H312, H314, H318, H302, H402) in the chemicals database but is restricted in EU cosmetics at max 0.5%.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status/eu_max; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
pH adjuster, buffering agent
Safety Rating
MODERATE
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
1-aminopropan-2-ol
InChIKey
HXKKHQJGJAFBHI-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
restricted
EU Max Conc.
0.5%
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Permitted — CIR concluded safe as used; must not be used in products containing N-nitrosating agents (CIR 1987, reaffirmed 2006)
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Isopropanolamine.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Signal Word
DANGER
Pictograms
Excl markWarnCorrCancerHealth haz
Hazard Statements
Combustible liquid Harmful if swallowed or in contact with skin Causes severe skin burns and eye damage Causes damage to respiratory tract May be harmful if swallowed and enters airways Harmful to aquatic life
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is corrosive to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. Corrosive on ingestion. Inhalation may cause lung oedema, but only after initial corrosive effects on eyes and/or airways have become manifest. Medical observation is indicated. If swallowed the substance may cause vomiting and could result in aspiration pneumonitis.
Long-term Exposure Effects
Repeated or prolonged contact with skin may cause dermatitis.
Routes of Exposure
Serious local effects by all routes of exposure.
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Isopropanolamine across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Danger
Pictograms
Corrosive
Hazard Class and Category
Skin Corr. 1B
Hazard Statements
- H314 Causes severe skin burns and eye damage
Inserted via ATP: CLP00
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
10,000 - 100,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE; GROUP
SVHC Candidate
No
Hazard classification: Restricted (Annex XVII)
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (1)
ICSC Safety Card
0905
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Regulatory (2)
JECFA Number
1591
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
JECFA Evaluation
1-AMINO-2-PROPANOL | 2008 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | The evaluation is conditional because the estimated daily intake is based on the anticipated annual volume of production. The conclusion of the safety evaluation of this substance will be revoked if use levels or poundage data are not provided before the end of 2007. | ">RS 952-JECFA 69/154
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Biocide
Chelating agent
Cleaning agent
Emulsifier
Flavouring and nutrient
Solvent
pH regulating agent
Regulatory List Membership (1)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Isopropanolamine.
Regulatory Flags
fda_food_additive
Known Synonyms
Monoisopropanolamine
4-04-00-01665
BRN 0605275
EINECS 201-162-7
UNII-UE40BY1BZW
1-Amino-2-Hydroxypropanamine
Aminopropanol
Mipa
Mono-iso-propanolamine
alpha-aminoisopropyl alcohol
Chemical Function
pH regulating agent
Solvent
Regulatory Lists
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
CEDI
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
CHEMBL326602
Adverse Event Associations
869
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Isopropanolamine allowed in the EU?
Isopropanolamine EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: 0.5%. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Isopropanolamine do in cosmetics?
Isopropanolamine functions as: pH adjuster, buffering agent. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 78-96-6.
Is Isopropanolamine classified as hazardous under GHS?
Isopropanolamine carries a GHS signal word of "DANGER". Hazard statements: Combustible liquid Harmful if swallowed or in contact with skin Causes severe skin burns and eye damage Causes damage to respiratory tract May be harmful if swallowed and enters airways Harmful to aquatic life. 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.
Is Isopropanolamine used outside cosmetics?
Isopropanolamine 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 Isopropanolamine have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Isopropanolamine is classified GHS Danger (H312, H314, H318, H302, H402) in the chemicals database but is restricted in EU cosmetics at max 0.5%.
Compliance Tools
Check Isopropanolamine 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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