Is NITROUS OXIDE safe in cosmetics?
NITROUS OXIDE has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted.
NITROUS OXIDE
Also known as: Nitrogen oxide (N2O), EINECS 233-032-0, FEMA No. 2779, Nitrogen hypoxide, Nitrous oxide, compressed (+15 more)
NITROUS OXIDE (CAS 10024-97-2) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Propellant. 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 10024-97-2 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
NITROUS OXIDE is classified GHS Danger (H270, H280, H281, H336, H360, 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
Propellant
Safety Rating
GOOD
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
nitrous oxide
InChIKey
GQPLMRYTRLFLPF-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
Not specifically regulated
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Signal Word
DANGER
Pictograms
Flam circleCylinderGasExcl markWarnCancerHealth haz
Hazard Statements
May cause or intensify fire; oxidizer Contains gas under pressure; may explode if heated May cause drowsiness or dizziness May damage fertility or the unborn child Causes damage to the blood and the nervous system through prolonged or repeated exposure if inhaled
Short-term Exposure Effects
The liquid may cause frostbite. The substance may cause effects on the central nervous system. This may result in lowering of consciousness.
Long-term Exposure Effects
The substance may have effects on the bone marrow and nervous system. May cause reproductive toxicity in humans.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation.
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Danger
Pictograms
Health HazardHarmful / Irritant
Hazard Class and Category
Repr. 1B; STOT SE 3; STOT RE 1; Ozone 1
Hazard Statements
- H360Df
- H336 May cause drowsiness or dizziness
- H372 (nervous system)
- H420 Harms public health and the environment by destroying ozone in the upper atmosphere
Inserted via ATP: ATP23
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
1,000 - 10,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Hazard classification: Restricted (Annex XVII)
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (3)
Evidence for Carcinogenicity
A4; Not classifiable as a human carcinogen.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Endocrine Disruptors
Potential endocrine disrupting compound
Source: NORMAN Suspect List Exchange
ICSC Safety Card
0067
Source: WHO/JECFA
Regulatory (2)
JECFA Evaluation
NITROUS OXIDE | 2000 | NOT SPECIFIED | At its twenty-ninth meeting (1985), the Committee concluded that use of nitrous oxide as a propellant for food was acceptable. At its fifty-fifth meeting (2000), the Committee was requested by the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants to evaluate the additional use of nitrous oxide as a packaging gas, but the Committee could not carry out this re
Source: WHO/JECFA
EU Food Improvement
Food additives
Source: EU Food Improvement Agents
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Propellants
non-motive (blowing agents)
Regulatory List Membership (2)
California Proposition 65 (OEHHA)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for NITROUS OXIDE.
Regulatory Flags
cosing-sourced
eu-permitted
needs-enrichment
endocrine_disruptor
prop65
fda_food_additive
jecfa_safe
Known Synonyms
Nitrogen oxide (N2O)
EINECS 233-032-0
FEMA No. 2779
Nitrogen hypoxide
Nitrous oxide, compressed
Nitrous oxide, refrigerated liquid
Oxido nitroso
Stickdioxyd
UNII-K50XQU1029
Distickstoffmonoxid
E942
Lachgas
N2O
NNO
R-744A
Stickstoff(I)-oxid
diazyne 1-oxide
gaz hilarant
nitrogen protoxide
nitrogenium oxydulatum
Chemical Function
Propellants
non-motive (blowing agents)
Fragrance
Flavouring and nutrient
Regulatory Lists
OEHHA Proposition 65 (3/2019)
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
Canada; pharmaceutical
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
OEHHA Proposition 65 (1/2023)
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
NITROUS OXIDE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL1234579
Max Phase
3
Adverse Event Associations
191
Frequently Asked Questions
Is NITROUS OXIDE allowed in the EU?
NITROUS OXIDE EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does NITROUS OXIDE do in cosmetics?
NITROUS OXIDE functions as: Propellant. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 10024-97-2.
Is NITROUS OXIDE classified as hazardous under GHS?
NITROUS OXIDE carries a GHS signal word of "DANGER". Hazard statements: May cause or intensify fire; oxidizer Contains gas under pressure; may explode if heated May cause drowsiness or dizziness May damage fertility or the unborn child Causes damage to the blood and the nervous system through prolonged or repeated exposure if inhaled. 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 NITROUS OXIDE used outside cosmetics?
NITROUS OXIDE 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 NITROUS OXIDE have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
NITROUS OXIDE is classified GHS Danger (H270, H280, H281, H336, H360, H372) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Compliance Tools
Check NITROUS OXIDE compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
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82 Allergen Checker
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Substance Compliance
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MoS Calculator
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Heavy Metal Limits
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