Is Methyl Acetate safe in cosmetics?
Methyl Acetate has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Methyl Acetate
Also known as: EINECS 201-185-2, FEMA No. 2676, FEMA Number 2676, UNII-W684QT396F, AcOMe (+15 more)
INCI: METHYL ACETATE
Methyl Acetate (CAS 79-20-9) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Solvent. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted; GHS signal word DANGER. 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 79-20-9 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Methyl Acetate is classified GHS Danger (H225, H319, H336, H320, H335, H370, H372) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
Solvent
Safety Rating
MODERATE
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
methyl acetate
InChIKey
KXKVLQRXCPHEJC-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Allowed - no FDA prohibition; widely 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 Methyl Acetate.
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
FlamFlameExcl markWarn
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.
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Danger
Pictograms
FlammableHarmful / Irritant
Hazard Class and Category
Flam. Liq. 2; STOT SE 3; Eye Irrit. 2
Hazard Statements
- H225 Highly flammable liquid and vapour
- H336 May cause drowsiness or dizziness
- H319 Causes serious eye irritation
Inserted via ATP: CLP00
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 | 6750 | - | - |
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
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Hazard classification: Restricted (Annex XVII)
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (2)
ICSC Safety Card
0507
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Skin Eye Respiratory Irritation
A moderate skin and eye irritant. | Irritates the eyes and respiratory tract. | Irritating to eyes, nose and throat.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Regulatory (2)
JECFA Number
125
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
JECFA Evaluation
METHYL ACETATE | 1997 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | TRS 884-JECFA 49/52 | FAS 40-JECFA 49/297
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Cleaning agent
Diluent
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Solubility enhancer
Solvent
Regulatory List Membership (3)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Consumer Product Chemical
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Methyl Acetate.
Regulatory Flags
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
jecfa_safe
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Methyl Acetate by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
6
Lowest NOAEL
400 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
800 mg/kg bw/day
ECHA_REACH_reach_study_results_dossiers_23-05-2023.zip
Known Synonyms
EINECS 201-185-2
FEMA No. 2676
FEMA Number 2676
UNII-W684QT396F
AcOMe
Acetic acid,methyl ester
CH3CO2CH3
CH3COOCH3
Ethyl ester of monoacetic acid
FEMA 2676
HSDB 95
METHYL ACETATE, 97%
MeOAc
Methyl acetate [UN1231] [Flammable liquid]
Methyl acetic ester
Methyl ester of acetic acid
Methyl-acetate
Methylacetaat
Methylacetat (german)
Methyle (acetate de)
Chemical Function
Solvent
Fragrance
Flavouring and nutrient
Regulatory Lists
Arts and crafts/Office supplies; Europe
detected; drinking_water; MN Chemical Screening
IFRA Transparency
Europe
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
consumer_product
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
ACETIC ACID METHYL ESTER
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL14079
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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.
Is Methyl Acetate used outside cosmetics?
Methyl Acetate 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.
Does Methyl Acetate have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Methyl Acetate is classified GHS Danger (H225, H319, H336, H320, H335, H370, H372) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
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 multiple jurisdictions
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions
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Chemical family
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Chemical family
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