Is Sodium Selenite safe in cosmetics?
Sodium Selenite has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: restricted. US status: permitted. 10 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Sodium Selenite
Also known as: EINECS 233-267-9, Selenite sodium, UNII-HIW548RQ3W
INCI: SODIUM SELENITE
Sodium Selenite (CAS 10102-18-8) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Skin conditioning, Antioxidant. Reported NOAEL =0.12 mg/kg bw/day in Rat (ECHA); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted, max 1%. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in pharmaceutical and food safety data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 10102-18-8 →
Function
Skin conditioning, Antioxidant
Editorial assessment
MODERATE
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
disodium;selenite
InChIKey
BVTBRVFYZUCAKH-UHFFFAOYSA-L
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
restricted
EU Max Conc.
1%
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Selenium sulfide is an OTC active; sodium selenite in cosmetics requires careful justification; not broadly GRAS for topical use
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 Selenite.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
10 study endpoints found for Sodium Selenite. 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 | =0.12 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | subchronic | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =0.14 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | subchronic | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =0.2 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | subchronic | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =0.35 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | reproduction developmental | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =0.36 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Mouse | short-term | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =0.4 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | subchronic | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =0.68 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Mouse | developmental | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =0.756 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Mouse | chronic | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =0.9 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Mouse | subchronic | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =2 mg/kg bw/day | injection | Rat | developmental | ECHA |
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is irritating to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. The substance may cause effects on the liver, heart, nervous system and gastrointestinal tract. Medical observation is indicated.
Long-term Exposure Effects
Repeated or prolonged contact with skin may cause dermatitis. The substance may have effects on the central nervous system, bone and blood. See Notes.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation of its aerosol and by ingestion.
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Danger
Pictograms
Acute ToxicityEnvironmental Hazard
Hazard Class and Category
Acute Tox. 3 *; Acute Tox. 2 *; Skin Sens. 1; Aquatic Chronic 2
Hazard Statements
- H331 Toxic if inhaled
- H300 Fatal if swallowed
- H317 May cause an allergic skin reaction
- H411 Toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects
Inserted via ATP: CLP00
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; GROUP
SVHC Candidate
No
Hazard classification: Restricted (Annex XVII)
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (2)
Carcinogen Classification
3, not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans. (L135)
Source: Toxin and Toxin Target Database (T3DB)
ICSC Safety Card
0698
Source: WHO/JECFA
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
No specific technical function
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Sodium Selenite — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
endocrine_disruptor
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Sodium Selenite by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
10
Lowest NOAEL
0.12 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
2 mg/kg bw/day
ECHA
Known Synonyms
EINECS 233-267-9
Selenite sodium
UNII-HIW548RQ3W
Chemical Function
No specific technical function
Regulatory Lists
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
active_ingredient; animal_products; Europe; pharmaceutical; residue
Europe; supplements
Europe; food_additive; supplements
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical and food safety data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Compound
SODIUM SELENITE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL112302
Max Phase
3
Adverse Event Associations
145
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
Selenium - Sodium Selenite
Food Category
vitamins_minerals
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sodium Selenite allowed in the EU?
Sodium Selenite EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: 1%. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Sodium Selenite do in cosmetics?
Sodium Selenite functions as: Skin conditioning, Antioxidant. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 10102-18-8.
What is the NOAEL for Sodium Selenite?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Sodium Selenite is =0.12 mg/kg bw/day based on a subchronic study via oral route in Rat. A total of 10 study endpoints are available. Source: ECHA.
Is Sodium Selenite used outside cosmetics?
Sodium Selenite also appears in pharmaceutical and food safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check Sodium Selenite 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
Related Ingredients
2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
EXCELLENT
Same category
Softener and conditioner
3-Glyceryl Ascorbate
EXCELLENT
Same category
Antioxidant, Humectant, Skin Conditio...
Allantoin Ascorbate
EXCELLENT
Same category
Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning, Skin ...
Aloe Vera Extract
EXCELLENT
Same category
Skin Conditioning, Antioxidant
Althaea Officinalis Callus Culture Extract
EXCELLENT
Same category
Antioxidant, skin protectant
Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Oil
EXCELLENT
Same category
Emollient, skin conditioning, antioxi...
(20S)-Protopanaxadiol
MODERATE
Similar safety
(Cnidium Officinale/Coptis Chinensis/Glycyrrhiza Uralensis) Root Extract
MODERATE
Similar safety
Skin conditioning
(Eclipta Prostrata/Houttuynia Cordata) Leaf Extract
MODERATE
Similar safety
Skin conditioning
(Lepidium Meyenii/Sarcodon Aspratus) Root Water
MODERATE
Similar safety
Skin conditioning
(SH-Pentapeptide-10 6-Aminocaprooyl SH-Pentapeptide-11) SP
MODERATE
Similar safety
Skin/hair conditioning (peptide-based...
1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,7-Octahydro-2,5,5-Trimethyl-2-Naphthol
MODERATE
Similar safety
Fragrance ingredient
DISODIUM SELENITE
MODERATE
Chemical family
Not Reported
Sodium Alum
GOOD
Chemical family
Astringent, antiperspirant
SODIUM (ASTROCARYUM VULGARE/EUTERPE OLERACEAE/PALM) FRUIT/(ASTROCARYUM VULGARE/PALM) KERNEL/(ASTROCARYUM MURUMURU/BABASSU/BERTHOLLETIA EXCELSA/CARAPA GUIANENSIS/COCOA/FEVILLEA TRILOBATA/PASSIFLORA EDULIS/THEOBROMA GRANDIFLORUM) SEEDATE
GOOD
Browse nearby
Cleansing, Surfactant - Cleansing
Is Sodium Selenite in Your Products?
Scan any product label with Piro — our free ingredient scanner. Point your camera at the ingredients list and get instant safety scores for every ingredient.
Try Piro Free →Analyze Your Full Ingredient List
Paste any INCI list into the Decoder for instant safety analysis, or calculate the Margin of Safety for Sodium Selenite in your formulation.