Is Sodium Salicylate safe in cosmetics?
Sodium Salicylate has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: restricted. US status: permitted. 3 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Sodium Salicylate
Also known as: Benzoic acid, 2-hydroxy-, monosodium salt, Sodium salicylic acid, Diuretin, EINECS 200-198-0, Idocyl novum (+7 more)
INCI: SODIUM SALICYLATE
Sodium Salicylate (CAS 54-21-7) is a cosmetic preservative functioning as Denaturant, Preservative, Hair/Skin Conditioning. NOAEL 138 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted, max 0.5% (as acid) preservative (Annex V/3); 2.0% other / 3.0% rinse-off hair (Annex III). 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 54-21-7 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Sodium Salicylate is classified GHS CMR hazard (H302, H319, H361, H361d) in the chemicals database but is restricted in EU cosmetics at max 0.5% (as acid) preservative (Annex V/3); 2.0% other / 3.0% rinse-off hair (Annex III).
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status/eu_max; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
Denaturant, Preservative, Hair/Skin Conditioning
Safety Rating
GOOD
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
sodium 2-hydroxybenzoate
InChIKey
ABBQHOQBGMUPJH-UHFFFAOYSA-M
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
restricted
EU Max Conc.
0.5% (as acid) preservative (Annex V/3); 2.0% other / 3.0% rinse-off hair (Annex III)
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
CIR 2019: safe when formulated to be non-irritating/non-sensitizing. Salicylate salt restrictions apply as combined salicylic acid equivalents.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Sodium Salicylate.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
3 study endpoints found for Sodium Salicylate. 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 | =30 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | developmental | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
| NOAEL | =90 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | reproduction developmental | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
| NOAEL | =800 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Mouse | reproduction developmental | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Sodium Salicylate across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
100 - 1,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Preservative
Regulatory List Membership (1)
FDA Indirect Food Contact Additives
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Sodium Salicylate.
Regulatory Flags
EU_RESTRICTED
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Sodium Salicylate by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
3
Lowest NOAEL
30 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
800 mg/kg bw/day
ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID
Known Synonyms
Benzoic acid, 2-hydroxy-, monosodium salt
Sodium salicylic acid
Diuretin
EINECS 200-198-0
Idocyl novum
Monosodium 2-hydroxybenzoate
NSC 202167
Parbocyl-rev
Salicylic acid, sodium salt
Natrium salicylat
UNII-WIQ1H85SYP
Natrum salicylicum
Chemical Function
Preservative
Regulatory Lists
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
Europe; Personal care - body hygiene - hand soap
CEDI
Indirect additives food contact (10/2018)
active_ingredient; Europe; Pesticides
active_ingredient; animal_products; Europe; pharmaceutical; residue
Europe; Personal care - hair styling and care - shampoo-dandruff
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
SODIUM SALICYLATE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL447868
Max Phase
1
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sodium Salicylate allowed in the EU?
Sodium Salicylate EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: 0.5% (as acid) preservative (Annex V/3); 2.0% other / 3.0% rinse-off hair (Annex III). This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Sodium Salicylate do in cosmetics?
Sodium Salicylate functions as: Denaturant, Preservative, Hair/Skin Conditioning. It is classified as a Preservative in our database. CAS number: 54-21-7.
What is the NOAEL for Sodium Salicylate?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Sodium Salicylate is =30 mg/kg bw/day based on a developmental study via oral route in Rat. A total of 3 study endpoints are available. Source: ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID.
Is Sodium Salicylate used outside cosmetics?
Sodium Salicylate 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 Sodium Salicylate have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Sodium Salicylate is classified GHS CMR hazard (H302, H319, H361, H361d) in the chemicals database but is restricted in EU cosmetics at max 0.5% (as acid) preservative (Annex V/3); 2.0% other / 3.0% rinse-off hair (Annex III).
Compliance Tools
Check Sodium Salicylate 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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Good
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