Good Cosmetic Ingredient NOAEL Data

PEG-20 Stearate

INCI: PEG-20 STEARATE

CAS Number

9004-99-3

Function

Emulsifying agent; Surfactant

Safety Rating

GOOD

Regulatory Status

🇪🇺 EU Status permitted

🇺🇸 US Status permitted

US Notes CIR: Safe as used (1983; reaffirmed 2002, expanded 2005)

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

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)

adequate

Dermal Absorption

low

Sensitization

low

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Toxicological Studies

4 study endpoints found for PEG-20 Stearate. 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	5000 mg/kg bw/day	oral	rat	Chronic	COSMOS_DB
NOAEL	2500 mg/kg bw/day	oral	hamster	Chronic	COSMOS_DB
NOAEL	2500 mg/kg bw/day	oral	hamster	Chronic	COSMOS_DB
NOAEL	2500 mg/kg bw/day	oral	rat	Chronic	COSMOS_DB

Expert Verdict

1,4-Dioxane and ethylene oxide residual impurities from ethoxylation process warrant quality control monitoring.

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Concern Level: Low

Regulatory Flags

peg-ingredient eu_children_restricted epa_safer_alternative ifra_fragrance fda_food_additive

Frequently Asked Questions

Is PEG-20 Stearate safe in cosmetics?

1,4-Dioxane and ethylene oxide residual impurities from ethoxylation process warrant quality control monitoring. The EU classifies PEG-20 Stearate as "permitted". Safety rating: GOOD. 4 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.

Is PEG-20 Stearate allowed in the EU?

PEG-20 Stearate EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does PEG-20 Stearate do in cosmetics?

PEG-20 Stearate functions as: Emulsifying agent; Surfactant. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 9004-99-3.

What is the Margin of Safety for PEG-20 Stearate?

adequate 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.

What is the NOAEL for PEG-20 Stearate?

The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for PEG-20 Stearate is 5000 mg/kg bw/day based on a Chronic study via oral route in rat. A total of 4 study endpoints are available. Source: COSMOS_DB.

Compliance Tools

Check PEG-20 Stearate compliance across multiple jurisdictions:

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Ingredient Decoder

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82 Allergen Checker

Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens

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Substance Compliance

Check compliance across 55 jurisdictions

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MoS Calculator

Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology

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Heavy Metal Limits

Compare limits across jurisdictions

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