Is Magnesium Stearate safe in cosmetics?
Magnesium Stearate has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Magnesium Stearate
Also known as: Octadecanoic acid, magnesium salt, AFCO-Chem MGS, Aurabrite MA 76, Daiwax SMO, EM 100 (salt) (+11 more)
INCI: MAGNESIUM STEARATE
Magnesium Stearate (CAS 557-04-0) is a cosmetic emollient functioning as Binder; lubricant; slip agent in pressed powder formulations. 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.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 557-04-0 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
Binder; lubricant; slip agent in pressed powder formulations
Safety Rating
EXCELLENT
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
magnesium bis(octadecanoate)
InChIKey
HQKMJHAJHXVSDF-UHFFFAOYSA-L
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Permitted for eye-area use; no concentration cap; also used as pharmaceutical excipient with strong safety record
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Magnesium Stearate.
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.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation.
Additional Ingredient Properties
6 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
comedogenicity_detail
{"comedogenicity_rating": "1", "irritancy_rating": "0", "skin_type_suitability": "all,combination,normal", "acne_safe": "yes", "source": "Slip agent"}
ecotoxicity
{"biodegradable": "yes", "biodegradation_days": "60-90", "bioaccumulative": "no", "aquatic_toxicity_level": "low", "coral_reef_safe": "yes", "marine_toxicity": "low aquatic toxicity", "freshwater_toxicity": "minimal impact", "endocrine_disruptor": "no", "persistent_organic_pollutant": "no", "microplastic": "no", "nano_particle": "no", "hawaii_banned": "no", "eu_restricted_environmental": "no", "pa…
mineral_clay
{"cas_number": "557-04-0", "ingredient_class": "magnesium_compound", "chemical_formula": "Mg(C18H35O2)2", "mineral_origin": "synthetic", "particle_size_range_um": "1-20", "surface_area_m2_per_g": "2-10", "crystal_structure": "lamellar", "color_appearance": "white", "opacity": "opaque", "refractive_index": "1.03", "oil_absorption_g_per_100g": "30-80", "water_absorption_capacity": "low", "surface_ch…
ph_stability
{"optimal_ph_min": "5.0", "optimal_ph_max": "9.0", "stable_ph_min": "4.5", "stable_ph_max": "10.0", "ph_dependent_function": "Flow agent; lubricant", "formulation_note": "Forms soaps at high pH", "source": "Formulation literature"}
polymer
{"cas_number": "557-04-0", "ingredient_class": "texture_modifier", "polymer_type": "other", "chemical_backbone": "other", "ionic_character": "nonionic", "pH_viscosity_sensitivity": "moderate", "salt_tolerance": "moderate", "electrolyte_effect_on_viscosity": "moderate", "temperature_viscosity_sensitivity": "moderate", "film_transparency": "transparent", "removability": "easy", "flyaway_reduction": …
sensory
{"silky": "powdery", "smooth, glides easily": "silky, glides", "dry-touch, non-greasy": "dry, velvety", "instant": "instant", "low": "low", "w/o": "w/o", "very-high": "excellent", "no": "yes", "yes": "no", "light-diffusing": "matte", "1.40": "1.03", "transparent": "opaque", "colorless": "white", "excellent": "excellent", "light": "light", "synthetic": "synthetic"}
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (2)
Evidence for Carcinogenicity
A4; Not classifiable as a human carcinogen. /Stearates; does not include stearates of toxic metals/
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
ICSC Safety Card
1403
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Regulatory (1)
JECFA Evaluation
MAGNESIUM STEARATE | 2020 | NOT SPECIFIED | Considered for specification only. | TRS 1027-JECFA 89/42 | FAS 80-JECFA 89/221
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Anti-adhesive/cohesive
Anti-caking agent
Anti-static agent
Binder
Dispersing agent
Drier
Dye
Filler
Flavouring and nutrient
Heat stabilizer
Regulatory List Membership (2)
EPA Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Magnesium Stearate.
Regulatory Flags
binder
lubricant
eye-shadow
pressed-powder
eye-area
pharma-grade-available
well-tolerated
epa_safer_alternative
fda_food_additive
jecfa_safe
Known Synonyms
Octadecanoic acid, magnesium salt
AFCO-Chem MGS
Aurabrite MA 76
Daiwax SMO
EM 100 (salt)
HyQual
Kemilub EM-F-V
Liga MF 2V
Ligastar MG 700
Palmstar 325BP/EP
Parteck LUB
Parteck LUB-MST
Songstab SM 310
Synpro 90
EINECS 209-150-3
UNII-70097M6I30
Chemical Function
Surfactant (surface active agent)
Anti-caking agent
Dye
Filler
Regulatory Lists
active_ingredient; animal_products; Europe; pharmaceutical; residue
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
SCIL (9/2019)
Canada; pharmaceutical
Cleaning products and household care - dishwasher and dishes - automatic dishwashing detergent; Europe
Canada; consumer_product; Substances in Products - Canada (4/2014)
inert_ingredient; Pesticides
inert_ingredient; Pesticides
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; 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
MAGNESIUM STEARATE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL2106633
Max Phase
1
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Magnesium Stearate allowed in the EU?
Magnesium Stearate EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Magnesium Stearate do in cosmetics?
Magnesium Stearate functions as: Binder; lubricant; slip agent in pressed powder formulations. It is classified as a Emollient in our database. CAS number: 557-04-0.
Is Magnesium Stearate used outside cosmetics?
Magnesium Stearate 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.
Compliance Tools
Check Magnesium Stearate 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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