Is Isopropyl Alcohol safe in cosmetics?
Isopropyl Alcohol has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted. 10 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Isopropyl Alcohol
Also known as: 2-Propanol, 4-01-00-01461, Alcosolve, Arquad DMCB, BRN 0635639 (+14 more)
INCI: ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL
Isopropyl Alcohol (CAS 67-63-0) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Solvent, antimicrobial agent. Reported NOAEL 100 mg/kg bw/day in rat (COSMOS DB); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted; 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, pharmaceutical, and food safety data.
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Isopropyl Alcohol is classified GHS Danger (H225, H319, H336, H335, H361, H370, H372, H373) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu status; Chemicals: ghs classifications.signal word/hazard statement code
Function
Solvent, antimicrobial agent
Editorial assessment
GOOD
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
propan-2-ol
InChIKey
KFZMGEQAYNKOFK-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Permitted under 21 CFR 73.1 as an indirect additive; widely used in cosmetics; CIR has not raised safety concerns at typical cosmetic concentrations; EPA lists under EPCRA 313 for manufacturing via strong acid process only
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Isopropyl Alcohol.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
10 study endpoints found for Isopropyl Alcohol. 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 | 100 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Multigeneration Reproductive | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | 466 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rabbit | Developmental | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | 480 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rabbit | Developmental | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | 601 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Special Toxicology Study | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | 625 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rabbit | Developmental | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | 800 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Reproductive | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | 1200 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Developmental | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | 1250 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Developmental | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | 1280 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Developmental | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | 2000 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Multigeneration Reproductive | COSMOS DB |
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Signal Word
DANGER
Pictograms
FlamFlameExcl markWarn
Hazard Statements
Highly flammable liquid and vapour Causes serious eye irritation May cause drowsiness or dizziness
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is irritating to the eyes and respiratory tract. The substance may cause effects on the central nervous system. Exposure far above the OEL could cause unconsciousness.
Long-term Exposure Effects
Repeated or prolonged contact with skin may cause dryness and cracking.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation of its vapour.
Dermal Penetration Profile
Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of Isopropyl Alcohol, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.
Absorption %
25-40%
Penetration Level
epidermis
Penetration Depth
epidermis/dermis
Molecular Weight
60.1 Da
Log P
0.05
Systemic Absorption
yes
Topical Bioavailability
20-35%
Safety Margin Factor
very-high
Source: Int J Pharm 2000
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
10 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEL | =49158.5 mg/m3 | Human | inhalation | - | DOE Protective Action Criteria |
| NOAEL | =240 mg/kg-day | Rabbit | oral | short-term | EFSA |
| LD50 | =5840 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =491.585 mg/m3 | Human | inhalation | acute | Cal OEHHA REL derivations |
| NOAEL | =240 mg/kg-day | Rabbit | oral | short-term | EFSA |
| NOAEL | =1238.79 mg/m3 | Mouse | inhalation | chronic | Cal OEHHA REL derivations |
| NOAEL | =1238.79 mg/m3 | Rat | inhalation | chronic | Cal OEHHA REL derivations |
| LC50 | =29495.1 mg/m3 | Rat | inhalation | acute | NIOSH IDLH |
| NOEL | =10 mmol/kg | Rat | oral | short-term | ECOTOX |
| LC50 | =78653.6 mg/m3 | Rat | inhalation | - | ChemIDplus |
IARC Carcinogenicity
International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) monograph evaluation.
IARC Group
3
Volume
15, Sup 7, 71
Evaluation Year
1998
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Danger
Pictograms
FlammableHarmful / Irritant
Hazard Class and Category
Flam. Liq. 2; STOT SE 3; Eye Irrit. 2
Hazard Statements
- H225 Highly flammable liquid and vapour
- H336 May cause drowsiness or dizziness
- H319 Causes serious eye irritation
Inserted via ATP: CLP00
Sensitization AOP Dashboard
Adverse Outcome Pathway data across 5 assays (DPRA, KeratinoSens, hCLAT, LLNA, NESIL) aggregated from public sources.
DPRA Cys %
1%
DPRA Lys %
0.5%
KeratinoSens IC50
2000 µM
hCLAT CV75
3500 µg/mL
LLNA EC3
50%
NESIL
12500 µg/cm²
LLNA: Weak (1B)
GHS: 1B
Source: LLNA: Gerberick et al. (2005); DPRA: Bauch et al. 2011 [DOI:10.1016/j.tiv.2011.05.030] | Joint Research Centre of the European Union 2013; KS: Natsch et al. 2013 [DOI:10.1002/jat.2868] | Bauch et al. 2011 [DOI:10.1016/j.tiv.2011.05.030]; hCLAT: Bauch et al. 2011 [DOI:10.1016/j.tiv.2011.05.030] | Ashikaga et al. 2010 [DOI:10.1177/026119291003800403]
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
100,000 - 1,000,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Hazard classification: Restricted (Annex XVII)
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (7)
Carcinogen Classification
Not listed by IARC. IARC classified aluminum production as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1), but did not implicate aluminum itself as a human carcinogen. (L135) A link between use of aluminum-containing antiperspirants and increased risk of breast cancer has been proposed (A235), but studies have not been able to establish a clear link (A15468).
Source: Toxin and Toxin Target Database (T3DB)
Carcinogen Classification
3, not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans. (L135)
Source: Toxin and Toxin Target Database (T3DB)
Carcinogen Classification
Isopropyl alcohol | Group 3: Not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans | Volume 15: (1977) Some Fumigants, the Herbicides 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T, Chlorinated Dibenzodioxins and Miscellaneous Industrial Chemicals | Volume Sup 7: Overall Evaluations of Carcinogenicity: An Updating of IARC Monographs Volumes 1 to 42, 1987; 440 pages; ISBN 92-832-1411-0 (out of print) | Volume 71: (1999)…
Source: International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
Evidence for Carcinogenicity
Evaluation: There is inadequate evidence for the carcinogenicity of isopropanol in humans. There is inadequate evidence for the carcinogenicity of isopropanol in experimental animals. Overall evaluation: Isopropanol is not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans (Group 3). | A4; Not classifiable as a human carcinogen.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Endocrine Disruptors
Potential endocrine disrupting compound
Source: NORMAN Suspect List Exchange
Regulatory (2)
JECFA Number
277
Source: WHO/JECFA
JECFA Evaluation
ISOPROPANOL | 1998 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | TRS 891-JECFA 51/59 | FAS 42-JECFA 51/235
Source: WHO/JECFA
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Biocide
Cleaning agent
Corrosion inhibitor
Defoamer
Degradant/impurity
Demulsifier
Diluent
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
No specific technical function
Regulatory List Membership (4)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
EPA Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Consumer Product Chemical
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Isopropyl Alcohol — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
epa_safer_alternative
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
jecfa_safe
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Isopropyl Alcohol by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
10
Lowest NOAEL
100 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
2000 mg/kg bw/day
COSMOS DB
Known Synonyms
2-Propanol
4-01-00-01461
Alcosolve
Arquad DMCB
BRN 0635639
Caswell No. 507
EINECS 200-661-7
FEMA No. 2929
FEMA Number 2929
Isopropyl alcohol, rubbing
Lavacol
i-Propyl alcohol
Spectrar
Alcool isopropilico
Alcool isopropylique
i-Propylalkohol
Iso-propylalkohol
UNII-ND2M416302
Alkolave
Chemical Function
Solvent
Regulatory Lists
inert_ingredient; Pesticides
drinking_water; Europe; manufacturing; plastic_additive
active_ingredient; Europe; Pesticides
air; Arts and crafts/Office supplies - fabric treatment and dye; Arts and crafts/Office supplies - home office - pens and markers; detected; emissions; Europe
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Toys and children's products
consumer_product; Europe
Europe; Vehicle - car interior
Europe; Vehicle - car interior
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Vehicle - car interior
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Vehicle - car interior
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Vehicle - car interior
Cleaning products and household care - oven - oven cleaner; Europe
detected; Europe; Personal care - liniment
Europe; Personal care - liniment
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Personal care - liniment
Europe; Personal care - liniment
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Other direct contact consumer goods
fracking; water
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical and food safety data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Compound
ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL582
Max Phase
4
Adverse Event Associations
2434
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL
ADI
No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent mg/kg bw
Food Category
flavoring
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Isopropyl Alcohol allowed in the EU?
Isopropyl Alcohol EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Isopropyl Alcohol do in cosmetics?
Isopropyl Alcohol functions as: Solvent, antimicrobial agent. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 67-63-0.
What is the NOAEL for Isopropyl Alcohol?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Isopropyl Alcohol is 100 mg/kg bw/day based on a Multigeneration Reproductive study via oral route in rat. A total of 10 study endpoints are available. Source: COSMOS DB.
Is Isopropyl Alcohol classified as hazardous under GHS?
Isopropyl Alcohol carries a GHS signal word of "DANGER". Hazard statements: Highly flammable liquid and vapour Causes serious eye irritation May cause drowsiness or dizziness. 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 Isopropyl Alcohol used outside cosmetics?
Isopropyl Alcohol also appears in industrial chemical safety, pharmaceutical, and food safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Does Isopropyl Alcohol have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Isopropyl Alcohol is classified GHS Danger (H225, H319, H336, H335, H361, H370, H372, H373) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Compliance Tools
Check Isopropyl Alcohol compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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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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