Is Methoxyethanol safe in cosmetics?
Methoxyethanol has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: prohibited. US status: prohibited. 6 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Methoxyethanol
INCI: METHOXYETHANOL
Methoxyethanol (CAS 109-86-4) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Solvent. NOAEL 43 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: prohibited. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in pharmaceutical data.
Function
Solvent
Editorial assessment
MODERATE
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
2-methoxyethanol
InChIKey
XNWFRZJHXBZDAG-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
prohibited
US US Status
prohibited
US Notes
Not explicitly prohibited by FDA for cosmetics, but recognized as a reproductive toxicant by OSHA and listed under California Proposition 65; effectively avoided by responsible manufacturers
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Methoxyethanol.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
6 study endpoints found for Methoxyethanol. 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 | =12.5 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | developmental | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =25 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | reproduction developmental | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =43 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | short-term | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =100 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Mouse | developmental | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =125 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Mouse | subchronic | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =1250 mg/kg bw/day | dermal | Rat | chronic | ECHA |
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Methoxyethanol — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
prop65
eu_banned_cosmetics
eu_cosing_listed
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Methoxyethanol by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
6
Lowest NOAEL
12.5 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
1250 mg/kg bw/day
ECHA
Chemical Function
Solvent
Viscosity modifier
Flow promoter
Regulatory Lists
Cons electronics mech appliances and machinery; Europe
artificial_saliva; detected; emissions; Europe; Toys and children's products
detected; drinking_water; MN Chemical Screening
detected; drinking_water; MN Chemical Screening
detected; drinking_water; MN Chemical Screening
detected; drinking_water; MN Chemical Screening
children; WA Children's Safe Product Act (4/2020)
Canada; pharmaceutical
children
children
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
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
2-METHOXYETHANOL
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL444144
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Methoxyethanol allowed in the EU?
Methoxyethanol EU regulatory status: prohibited. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Methoxyethanol do in cosmetics?
Methoxyethanol functions as: Solvent. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 109-86-4.
What is the NOAEL for Methoxyethanol?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Methoxyethanol is =12.5 mg/kg bw/day based on a developmental study via oral route in Rat. A total of 6 study endpoints are available. Source: ECHA.
Is Methoxyethanol used outside cosmetics?
Methoxyethanol also appears in pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check Methoxyethanol 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
Is Methoxyethanol in Your Products?
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Paste any INCI list into the Decoder for instant safety analysis, or calculate the Margin of Safety for Methoxyethanol in your formulation.