Good Cosmetic Ingredient

Sorbitan Undecylenate

INCI: SORBITAN UNDECYLENATE

CAS Number
Not individually assigned (sorbitan ester of undecylenic acid)
Function
Surfactant – Emulsifying Agent
Safety Rating
GOOD

Regulatory Status

🇪🇺 EU Status permitted
🇺🇸 US Status permitted
US Notes Not restricted for cosmetic use; CIR assessed safe as used (2014). Note: undecylenic acid itself is an OTC antifungal drug

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

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
adequate
Dermal Absorption
low
Sensitization
low

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Expert Verdict

Undecylenic acid has documented antifungal activity. CIR Panel discussed whether the ester form retains this activity; ester linkage expected to limit free acid availability. Very limited ingredient-specific data — no standalone tox data available in CIR matrix

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Concern Level: Low

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sorbitan Undecylenate safe in cosmetics?

Undecylenic acid has documented antifungal activity. CIR Panel discussed whether the ester form retains this activity; ester linkage expected to limit free acid availability. Very limited ingredient-specific data — no standalone tox data available in CIR matrix The EU classifies Sorbitan Undecylenate as "permitted". Safety rating: GOOD.

Is Sorbitan Undecylenate allowed in the EU?

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

What does Sorbitan Undecylenate do in cosmetics?

Sorbitan Undecylenate functions as: Surfactant – Emulsifying Agent. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: Not individually assigned (sorbitan ester of undecylenic acid).

What is the Margin of Safety for Sorbitan Undecylenate?

adequate 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.

Compliance Tools

Check Sorbitan Undecylenate compliance across multiple jurisdictions:

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Ingredient Decoder
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82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
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Substance Compliance
Check compliance across 55 jurisdictions
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MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
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Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions

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