Moderate Cosmetic Ingredient GHS Classified

Methyl Acetate

INCI: METHYL ACETATE

CAS Number
79-20-9
Function
Solvent
Safety Rating
MODERATE

Regulatory Status

🇪🇺 EU Status permitted
🇺🇸 US Status permitted
US Notes Allowed - no FDA prohibition; widely used in cosmetics

For full compliance data across 55 jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
not established
Dermal Absorption
low
Sensitization
low

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.

Signal Word
DANGER
Pictograms
flam;flame; excl mark;warn
Hazard Statements
Highly flammable liquid and vapour Causes eye irritation May cause drowsiness or dizziness
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is irritating to the eyes and respiratory tract. The substance is mildly irritating to the skin. The substance may cause effects on nervous system. Exposure far above the OEL could cause lowering of consciousness.
Long-term Exposure Effects
The substance defats the skin, which may cause dryness or cracking. The substance may have effects on the optic nerve. This may result in impaired vision.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation of its vapour.

Expert Verdict

Low acute toxicity; primary concern is inhalation exposure (volatile solvent); can cause eye and respiratory tract irritation at high concentrations; rapidly hydrolyzed in the body to methanol and acetic acid. Fast-evaporating solvent; fruity, pleasant odor; considered a safer alternative to acetone in some nail care applications; good solvency for nitrocellulose and many film-forming polymers

⚠️
Concern Level: High

Regulatory Flags

ifra_fragrance fda_food_additive jecfa_safe

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Methyl Acetate safe in cosmetics?

Low acute toxicity; primary concern is inhalation exposure (volatile solvent); can cause eye and respiratory tract irritation at high concentrations; rapidly hydrolyzed in the body to methanol and acetic acid. Fast-evaporating solvent; fruity, pleasant odor; considered a safer alternative to acetone in some nail care applications; good solvency for nitrocellulose and many film-forming polymers The EU classifies Methyl Acetate as "permitted". Safety rating: MODERATE.

Is Methyl Acetate allowed in the EU?

Methyl Acetate EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Methyl Acetate do in cosmetics?

Methyl Acetate functions as: Solvent. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 79-20-9.

What is the Margin of Safety for Methyl Acetate?

not established The Margin of Safety (MoS) is calculated using SCCS methodology. A MoS above 100 is generally considered safe. Use the MoS Calculator tool to calculate MoS for your specific formulation and product category.

Is Methyl Acetate classified as hazardous under GHS?

Methyl Acetate carries a GHS signal word of "DANGER". Hazard statements: Highly flammable liquid and vapour Causes eye irritation May cause drowsiness or dizziness. 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.

Compliance Tools

Check Methyl Acetate 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 55 jurisdictions
 🧮
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
 ⚗️
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions

Related Ingredients

SD Alcohol 23-H
Good
Butoxyethyl Acetate
Moderate
Alcohol Denat. SD Alcohol 38-C
Good
Perfluorobutylcyclohexane
Moderate
C5-6 Alkane
Moderate
Browse all 30,000+ ingredients →
📱

Is Methyl Acetate in Your Products?

Scan any product label with Piro — our free ingredient scanner. Point your camera at the ingredients list and get instant safety scores for every ingredient.

Try Piro Free →

Analyze Your Full Ingredient List

Paste any INCI list into the Decoder for instant safety analysis, or calculate the Margin of Safety for Methyl Acetate in your formulation.

Ingredient Decoder MoS Calculator