Regulatory Status
For full compliance data across 55 jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Expert Verdict
CIR concluded safe when formulated to be nonirritating; can irritate skin; 1,4-dioxane contamination potential. Low-EO laureths tend to be more irritating than higher-EO homologs.. Low HLB value (~9.7), liquid at room temperature; IUPAC name: 2-dodecoxyethanol; useful as a W/O emulsifier or co-emulsifier; chemically inert to hydrolytic decomposition; 4 average EO units.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Laureth-4 safe in cosmetics?
CIR concluded safe when formulated to be nonirritating; can irritate skin; 1,4-dioxane contamination potential. Low-EO laureths tend to be more irritating than higher-EO homologs.. Low HLB value (~9.7), liquid at room temperature; IUPAC name: 2-dodecoxyethanol; useful as a W/O emulsifier or co-emulsifier; chemically inert to hydrolytic decomposition; 4 average EO units. The EU classifies Laureth-4 as "prohibited". Safety rating: MODERATE.
Is Laureth-4 allowed in the EU?
Laureth-4 EU regulatory status: prohibited. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Laureth-4 do in cosmetics?
Laureth-4 functions as: Antistatic agent, emulsifying agent, masking agent, surfactant. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 5274-68-0 / 9002-92-0 / 68439-50-9.
What is the Margin of Safety for Laureth-4?
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.
Compliance Tools
Check Laureth-4 compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Related Ingredients
Is Laureth-4 in Your Products?
Scan any product label with Piro โ our free ingredient scanner. Point your camera at the ingredients list and get instant safety scores for every ingredient.
Try Piro Free โAnalyze Your Full Ingredient List
Paste any INCI list into the Decoder for instant safety analysis, or calculate the Margin of Safety for Laureth-4 in your formulation.