Is Lauryl Alcohol safe in cosmetics?
Lauryl Alcohol has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted. 3 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Lauryl Alcohol
Also known as: C12 alcohol, 4-01-00-01844, BRN 1738860, Cachalot L-50, Cachalot L-90 (+14 more)
INCI: LAURYL ALCOHOL
Lauryl Alcohol (CAS 112-53-8) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Emollient, emulsifier, viscosity controlling agent, fragrance ingredient. NOAEL 100 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted; GHS signal word WARNING. 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
Lauryl Alcohol is classified GHS Danger (H319, H400, H410, H411, H320, H370, H412, H371) 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, emulsifier, viscosity controlling agent, fragrance ingredient
Editorial assessment
MODERATE
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
dodecan-1-ol
InChIKey
LQZZUXJYWNFBMV-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Permitted — not restricted under 21 CFR; RIFM safety assessment completed (2025)
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Lauryl Alcohol.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
3 study endpoints found for Lauryl 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 | 3324 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Special Toxicology Study | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | =300 mg/kg bw/day | dermal | Mouse | chronic | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =800 mg/kg bw/day | dermal | Mouse | chronic | ECHA |
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Signal Word
WARNING
Pictograms
Excl markWarnCancerHealth hazEnviroAqua
Hazard Statements
Causes skin and eye irritation May cause respiratory irritation May be harmful if swallowed and enters airways Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is irritating to the skin, eyes and possibly the respiratory tract. If swallowed the substance may cause vomiting and could result in aspiration pneumonitis.
Long-term Exposure Effects
See Notes.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation, through the skin and by ingestion.
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Lauryl Alcohol across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
HRIPT Human Patch Test Studies
1 human repeat insult patch test aggregated from dermatological literature.
| Test Type | N | Sensitized | Dose µg/cm² | NESIL µg/cm² | Potency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HMT | - | 0 | 2592 | - | - |
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
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (2)
ICSC Safety Card
1765
Source: WHO/JECFA
Skin Eye Respiratory Irritation
Liquid will cause burning of the eyes and may irritate the skin.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Regulatory (3)
JECFA Number
109
Source: WHO/JECFA
JECFA Evaluation
ALCOHOL C-12 | 1997 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | TRS 884-JECFA 49/29 | FAS 40-JECFA 49/147
Source: WHO/JECFA
JECFA Evaluation
LAURYL ALCOHOL | 1997 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | TRS 884-JECFA 49/29 | FAS 40-JECFA 49/147
Source: WHO/JECFA
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Chemical reaction regulator
Defoamer
Degradant/impurity
Emulsifier
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Lubricating agent
Plasticizer
Softener and conditioner
Solvent
Regulatory List Membership (5)
EU Regulated in Personal Care
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 Lauryl Alcohol — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
fragrance-component
epa_safer_alternative
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
jecfa_safe
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Lauryl Alcohol by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
3
Lowest NOAEL
300 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
3324 mg/kg bw/day
ECHA
COSMOS DB
Known Synonyms
C12 alcohol
4-01-00-01844
BRN 1738860
Cachalot L-50
Cachalot L-90
EINECS 203-982-0
Fatty alcohol(C12)
FEMA No. 2617
FEMA Number 2617
n-Lauryl alcohol, primary
UNII-178A96NLP2
1-Dodecanol (ACD/Name 4.0)
Alfol 12
Co-1214S1-dodecanol
Dodecanol-1
Dodecylalcohol
Duodecyl alcohol
Dytol j-68
Epal 12
Chemical Function
Defoamer
Stabilizing agent
Softener and conditioner
Emulsifier
Viscosity modifier
Regulatory Lists
Arts and crafts/Office supplies - general arts and crafts supplies - arts and crafts paint; detected; Europe
SCIL (9/2019)
Canada; pharmaceutical
Food contact items
active_ingredient; Europe; Pesticides
Europe
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
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.
Compound
DODECANOL
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL24722
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lauryl Alcohol allowed in the EU?
Lauryl Alcohol EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Lauryl Alcohol do in cosmetics?
Lauryl Alcohol functions as: Emollient, emulsifier, viscosity controlling agent, fragrance ingredient. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 112-53-8.
What is the NOAEL for Lauryl Alcohol?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Lauryl Alcohol is 3324 mg/kg bw/day based on a Special Toxicology Study study via oral route in rat. A total of 3 study endpoints are available. Source: COSMOS DB.
Is Lauryl Alcohol classified as hazardous under GHS?
Lauryl Alcohol carries a GHS signal word of "WARNING". Hazard statements: Causes skin and eye irritation May cause respiratory irritation May be harmful if swallowed and enters airways Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects. 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 Lauryl Alcohol used outside cosmetics?
Lauryl Alcohol 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 Lauryl Alcohol have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Lauryl Alcohol is classified GHS Danger (H319, H400, H410, H411, H320, H370, H412, H371) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Compliance Tools
Check Lauryl Alcohol 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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