Is Propyl Alcohol safe in cosmetics?
Propyl Alcohol has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Propyl Alcohol
Also known as: n-propanol, 4-01-00-01413, Albacol, Alcohol, propyl, BRN 1098242 (+15 more)
INCI: PROPYL ALCOHOL
Propyl Alcohol (CAS 71-23-8) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Antifoaming agent, Solvent. 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 71-23-8 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Propyl Alcohol is classified GHS Danger (H225, H302, H318, H336, H361, H303, H305, H313) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
Antifoaming agent, Solvent
Safety Rating
GOOD
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
propan-1-ol
InChIKey
BDERNNFJNOPAEC-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Permitted; CIR concluded safe for use in cosmetic formulations in present practices
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Propyl Alcohol.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Signal Word
DANGER
Pictograms
FlamFlameCorrExcl markWarn
Hazard Statements
Highly flammable liquid and vapour Causes serious eye damage May cause drowsiness or dizziness May be harmful if swallowed and enters airways
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is severely irritating to the eyes. The substance may cause effects on the central nervous system. Exposure at high levels could cause unconsciousness. If swallowed the substance easily enters the airways and could result in aspiration pneumonitis.
Long-term Exposure Effects
The substance defats the skin, which may cause dryness or cracking.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation of its vapour, by ingestion and through the skin.
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
6 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEL | =54074.4 mg/m3 | Human | inhalation | - | DOE Protective Action Criteria |
| LC50 | =48 mg/L | Mouse | inhalation | - | ChemIDplus |
| LD50 | =6800 mg/kg | Mouse | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
| LD50 | =2825 mg/kg | Rabbit | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
| LD50 | =5040 mg/kg | Rabbit | dermal | - | ChemIDplus |
| LD50 | =1870 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Danger
Pictograms
FlammableHarmful / IrritantCorrosive
Hazard Class and Category
Flam. Liq. 2; STOT SE 3; Eye Dam. 1
Hazard Statements
- H225 Highly flammable liquid and vapour
- H336 May cause drowsiness or dizziness
- H318 Causes serious eye damage
Inserted via ATP: CLP00
HRIPT Human Patch Test Studies
1 human repeat insult patch test aggregated from dermatological literature.
| Test Type | N | Sensitized | Dose µg/cm² | NESIL µg/cm² | Potency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HRIPT | - | 0 | - | - | - |
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
10,000 - 100,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Hazard classification: Restricted (Annex XVII)
Expanded Dermal Absorption Data
Cross-database dermal penetration: EPA Dryad physics-based, Roberts Mendeley permeation, and SCCS-aggregated measured values.
EPA Dryad Skin Absorption (physics-based)
MW: 60.096
LogP: 0.248727
Kp epidermis: 0.99628 cm/h
Source: EPA_Dryad_Skin_Absorption_2024
Roberts Skin Permeation (Mendeley 2022)
MW: 60
Log Kow: 0.34
Log Kp: -2.769551078621726
Log Jmax: -4.65
Source: Roberts_Cheruvu_Mendeley_2022
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)
ICSC Safety Card
0553
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Skin Eye Respiratory Irritation
EXPOSURE TO 400 PPM FOR 3 T0 5 MIN PRODUCED MILD IRRITATION OF EYES, NOSE, AND THROAT. | High concn ... can cause CNS depression & are irritating to the eyes, throat, & mucous membranes. Contact to the skin of the liquid can cause mild chemical burns.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Regulatory (2)
JECFA Number
82
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
JECFA Evaluation
1-HYDROXYPROPANE | 1997 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | TRS 884-JECFA 49/29 | FAS 40-JECFA 49/147
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Defoamer
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Solvent
Wetting agent (non-aqueous)
Regulatory List Membership (2)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Propyl Alcohol.
Regulatory Flags
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
jecfa_safe
Known Synonyms
n-propanol
4-01-00-01413
Albacol
Alcohol, propyl
BRN 1098242
Caswell No. 709A
EINECS 200-746-9
EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 047502
FEMA No. 2928
FEMA Number 2928
1-Propyl alcohol
Propyl alcohol, normal
Propanol
Alcool propilico
Alcool propylique
n-Propyl alkohol
Propanoli
Propylowy alkohol
UNII-96F264O9SV
Hydroxypropane
Chemical Function
Solvent
Defoamer
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Wetting agent (non-aqueous)
Regulatory Lists
inert_ingredient; Pesticides
drinking_water; Europe; manufacturing; plastic_additive
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Toys and children's products
consumer_product; detected; Europe
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Vehicle - car interior
air; emissions; Europe; nondetect; Other direct contact consumer goods
active_ingredient; Europe; Pesticides
consumer_product; Europe
Europe
Europe; Personal care - liniment
IFRA Transparency
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
Canada; pharmaceutical
Canada; pharmaceutical
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
PROPANOL
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL14687
Max Phase
-1
Adverse Event Associations
2
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Propyl Alcohol allowed in the EU?
Propyl Alcohol EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Propyl Alcohol do in cosmetics?
Propyl Alcohol functions as: Antifoaming agent, Solvent. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 71-23-8.
Is Propyl Alcohol classified as hazardous under GHS?
Propyl Alcohol carries a GHS signal word of "DANGER". Hazard statements: Highly flammable liquid and vapour Causes serious eye damage May cause drowsiness or dizziness May be harmful if swallowed and enters airways. 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 Propyl Alcohol used outside cosmetics?
Propyl Alcohol 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 Propyl Alcohol have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Propyl Alcohol is classified GHS Danger (H225, H302, H318, H336, H361, H303, H305, H313) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Compliance Tools
Check Propyl Alcohol compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
Paste a full ingredient list for instant analysis
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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