Phenoxyethyl PCA

INCI: PHENOXYETHYL PCA

CAS Number
835913-42-3
Function
Preservative booster; humectant (PCA = pyrrolidone carboxylic acid ester)
Safety Rating
GOOD

Regulatory Status

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ EU Status permitted
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ US Status permitted
US Notes Not specifically restricted by FDA; marketed as a preservation-boosting ingredient

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

Safety Data

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

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Expert Verdict

Marketed as a natural-origin preservative booster that is not a standalone preservative; must pass challenge testing (ISO 11930) in actual formulation with efficacy being pH-dependent (optimal at acidic pH). Relatively new ingredient with long-term safety data still accumulating.

โš ๏ธ
Concern Level: Low

Regulatory Flags

preservative natural-origin

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Phenoxyethyl PCA safe in cosmetics?

Marketed as a natural-origin preservative booster that is not a standalone preservative; must pass challenge testing (ISO 11930) in actual formulation with efficacy being pH-dependent (optimal at acidic pH). Relatively new ingredient with long-term safety data still accumulating. The EU classifies Phenoxyethyl PCA as "permitted". Safety rating: GOOD.

Is Phenoxyethyl PCA allowed in the EU?

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

What does Phenoxyethyl PCA do in cosmetics?

Phenoxyethyl PCA functions as: Preservative booster; humectant (PCA = pyrrolidone carboxylic acid ester). It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 835913-42-3.

What is the Margin of Safety for Phenoxyethyl PCA?

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.

๐Ÿ“ฑ

Is Phenoxyethyl PCA in Your Products?

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

Try Piro Free โ†’

Analyze Your Full Ingredient List

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