Is Menthol Cosmetic safe in cosmetics?
Menthol Cosmetic has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted. 2 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Menthol Cosmetic
Also known as: Cyclohexanol, 5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)-, (1R,2S,5R)-rel-, 2-06-00-00052, 4-06-00-00151, BRN 1902288, BRN 3194263 (+15 more)
INCI: MENTHOL
Menthol Cosmetic (CAS 89-78-1) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as counterirritant. NOAEL 375 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted, max 3%. 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.
Function
counterirritant
Editorial assessment
GOOD
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
EU Max Conc.
3%
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
CIR Expert Panel Johnson WJ Jr. (2018). Amended Safety Assessment of Mentha Piperita (Peppermint)-Derived Ingredients as Used in Cosmetics.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Menthol Cosmetic.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
2 study endpoints found for Menthol Cosmetic. 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 | =1250 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Mouse | subchronic | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =1477.5 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Mouse | subchronic | ECHA |
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Menthol Cosmetic across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
Sensitization Profile
Contact sensitization data for Menthol Cosmetic based on clinical patch test studies and IFRA standards.
Sensitization Rate
low
Allergen Class
fragrance
EU Allergen Listed
yes
Patch Test Positive Rate
0.2%
Cross-reactivity Group
none
Reaction Type
contact-dermatitis
IFRA Restricted
Source: SCCS Opinion
Dermal Penetration Profile
Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of Menthol Cosmetic, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.
Absorption %
18-30%
Penetration Level
epidermis
Penetration Depth
epidermis/dermis
Molecular Weight
156.3 Da
Log P
3.4
Systemic Absorption
yes
Topical Bioavailability
12-25%
Safety Margin Factor
high
Vehicle Dependent
Yes — absorption varies by formulation
Source: J Pharm Sci 1996
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 | 5184 | - | - |
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
10,000 - 100,000 tonnes
Substance Type
GROUP; SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Fragrance
Regulatory List Membership (2)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
EPA Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Menthol Cosmetic — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
Allergen
epa_safer_alternative
ifra_fragrance
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Menthol Cosmetic by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
2
Lowest NOAEL
1250 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
1478 mg/kg bw/day
ECHA
Known Synonyms
Cyclohexanol, 5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)-, (1R,2S,5R)-rel-
2-06-00-00052
4-06-00-00151
BRN 1902288
BRN 3194263
EINECS 201-939-0
EINECS 239-388-3
Headache crystals
(+-)-Menthol
Menthol natural
Menthol natural, brazilian
Menthol racemic
5-Methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)cyclohexanol, (1alpha,2beta,5alpha)-
NCI-C50000
Tra-kill tracheal mite killer
Menthol racemique
Racementholum
Racementol
(1R,2S,5R)-Menthol
UNII-YS08XHA860
Chemical Function
Fragrance
Regulatory Lists
active_ingredient; Europe; Pesticides
detected; drinking_water; MN Chemical Screening
detected; drinking_water; MN Chemical Screening
Europe; Other direct contact consumer goods
IFRA Transparency
SCIL (9/2019)
pharmaceutical
Canada; pharmaceutical
Canada; pharmaceutical
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
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
LEVOMENTHOL
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL470670
Max Phase
3
Adverse Event Associations
59
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
MENTHOL
ADI
0-4 mg/kg bw mg/kg bw
Food Category
flavoring
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Menthol Cosmetic allowed in the EU?
Menthol Cosmetic EU regulatory status: permitted. Maximum allowed concentration: 3%. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Menthol Cosmetic do in cosmetics?
Menthol Cosmetic functions as: counterirritant. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 89-78-1.
What is the NOAEL for Menthol Cosmetic?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Menthol Cosmetic is =1250 mg/kg bw/day based on a subchronic study via oral route in Mouse. A total of 2 study endpoints are available. Source: ECHA.
Is Menthol Cosmetic used outside cosmetics?
Menthol Cosmetic 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.
Compliance Tools
Check Menthol Cosmetic 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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