Is Phenylacetaldehyde safe in cosmetics?
Phenylacetaldehyde has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: restricted. US status: permitted.
Phenylacetaldehyde
INCI: PHENYLACETALDEHYDE
Phenylacetaldehyde (CAS 122-78-1 [^1_17]) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Fragrance (powerful floral/hyacinth note). EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 122-78-1 [^1_17] →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
Fragrance (powerful floral/hyacinth note)
Safety Rating
MODERATE
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
restricted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
FEMA 2874; GRAS for food; not specifically restricted by FDA 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 Phenylacetaldehyde.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Sensitization Profile
Contact sensitization data for Phenylacetaldehyde based on clinical patch test studies and IFRA standards.
Sensitization Rate
low
Allergen Class
fragrance
EU Allergen Listed
yes
Patch Test Positive Rate
0.2%
Cross-reactivity Group
none
Reaction Type
contact-dermatitis
IFRA Restricted
Source: EU 2023/1545; SCCS
IFRA Concentration Limits (12 Product Categories)
International Fragrance Association standards per product category. Restriction: Restriction. Effective: 2021-02-10.
| Category | Max % | Category | Max % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (Lip products) | 0.04% | 7a (Deodorant – not spray) | 0.079% |
| 2 (Body spray) | 0.012% | 7b (Deodorant spray) | 0.079% |
| 3 (Body cream) | 0.04% | 8 (Face cream) | 0.013% |
| 4 (Fine fragrance) | 0.16% | 9 (Soap) | 0.2% |
| 5a (Body lotion) | 0.04% | 10a (Household – non-spray) | 0.2% |
| 5b (Face cream leave-on) | 0.04% | 10b (Household – spray) | No Restriction% |
| 5c (Hand cream) | 0.04% | 11a (Intimate – leave-on) | 0.013% |
| 5d (Baby cream) | 0.013% | 11b (Intimate – rinse) | 0.013% |
| 6 (Mouthwash) | 0.04% | 12 (Not for consumer exposure) | No Restriction% |
Additional Ingredient Properties
1 property record from structured ingredient metadata.
allergen_detail
{"eu_allergen_listed": "yes", "allergen_class": "fragrance", "patch_test_frequency_pct": "0.2", "sensitization_rate": "low", "common_reaction_type": "contact-dermatitis", "ifra_restricted": "yes", "source": "EU 2023/1545; SCCS"}
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Phenylacetaldehyde.
Regulatory Flags
potential-allergen
fragrance-component
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
jecfa_safe
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Phenylacetaldehyde by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
8
Lowest NOAEL
25 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
100 mg/kg bw/day
ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID
ECHA_REACH_reach_study_results_dossiers_23-05-2023.zip
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phenylacetaldehyde allowed in the EU?
Phenylacetaldehyde EU regulatory status: restricted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Phenylacetaldehyde do in cosmetics?
Phenylacetaldehyde functions as: Fragrance (powerful floral/hyacinth note). It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 122-78-1 [^1_17].
Compliance Tools
Check Phenylacetaldehyde compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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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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