Is Melanin safe in cosmetics?
Melanin has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
GOOD
Cosmetic Ingredient
Melanin
Also known as: 3,8-Dimethyl-2,7-dihydrobenzo[1,2,3-cd:4,5,6-c'd']diindole-4,5,9,10-tetrone
Melanin (CAS 8049-97-6) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Humectant; Softener and conditioner. 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 data.
Function
Humectant; Softener and conditioner
Editorial assessment
GOOD
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
6,14-dimethyl-4,12-diazapentacyclo[8.6.1.12,5.013,17.09,18]octadeca-1(17),2,5,9(18),10,13-hexaene-7,8,15,16-tetrone
InChIKey
XUMBMVFBXHLACL-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Not specifically restricted by FDA; no formal CIR review
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Melanin.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Humectant
Softener and conditioner
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Melanin — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Known Synonyms
3,8-Dimethyl-2,7-dihydrobenzo[1,2,3-cd:4,5,6-c'd']diindole-4,5,9,10-tetrone
Chemical Function
Humectant
Softener and conditioner
Regulatory Lists
Canada; Personal care; Substances in PCP - Canada (4/2014)
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Melanin allowed in the EU?
Melanin EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Melanin do in cosmetics?
Melanin functions as: Humectant; Softener and conditioner. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 8049-97-6.
Is Melanin used outside cosmetics?
Melanin also appears in industrial chemical safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check Melanin 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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