Moderate Cosmetic Ingredient NOAEL Data

Phenoxyacetic Acid

INCI: PHENOXYACETIC ACID

CAS Number
122-59-8
Function
Fragrance ingredient; pH adjuster; preservative booster in some systems
Safety Rating
MODERATE

Regulatory Status

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ EU Status permitted
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ US Status restricted
US Notes Not specifically restricted by FDA

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

Safety Data

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

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Toxicological Studies

3 study endpoints found for Phenoxyacetic Acid. 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 800 mg/kg bw/day oral mouse Developmental COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 250 mg/kg bw/day oral mouse Developmental COSMOS_DB
dose_tested 800 mg/kg bw/day oral mouse Developmental COSMOS_DB

Expert Verdict

GHS hazards include H302 (harmful if swallowed), H315 (skin irritation), H319 (serious eye irritation), and H335 (respiratory irritation). Classified for acute oral toxicity Category 4. Must be used at low concentrations in cosmetics with pH-dependent activity more pronounced at lower pH values.

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Concern Level: Moderate

Regulatory Flags

fragrance-component preservative fda_food_additive jecfa_safe

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Phenoxyacetic Acid safe in cosmetics?

GHS hazards include H302 (harmful if swallowed), H315 (skin irritation), H319 (serious eye irritation), and H335 (respiratory irritation). Classified for acute oral toxicity Category 4. Must be used at low concentrations in cosmetics with pH-dependent activity more pronounced at lower pH values. The EU classifies Phenoxyacetic Acid as "permitted". Safety rating: MODERATE. 3 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.

Is Phenoxyacetic Acid allowed in the EU?

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

What does Phenoxyacetic Acid do in cosmetics?

Phenoxyacetic Acid functions as: Fragrance ingredient; pH adjuster; preservative booster in some systems. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 122-59-8.

What is the Margin of Safety for Phenoxyacetic Acid?

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.

What is the NOAEL for Phenoxyacetic Acid?

The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Phenoxyacetic Acid is 800 mg/kg bw/day based on a Developmental study via oral route in mouse. A total of 3 study endpoints are available. Source: COSMOS_DB.

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