Excellent Cosmetic Ingredient Dermal Penetration

Sorbitol

INCI: SORBITOL

CAS Number
1259528-21-6
Function
Humectant
Safety Rating
EXCELLENT

Regulatory Status

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ EU Status permitted
EU Max Conc. 60.5%
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ US Status permitted
US Notes GRAS under 21 CFR 184.1835 for food use. No specific concentration limit for cosmetic use. CIR Expert Panel (2025) concluded safe as used in cosmetics without restriction. Not classified as a sunscreen active.

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

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
not established
Dermal Absorption
negligible
Sensitization
none

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Dermal Penetration Profile

Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of Sorbitol, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.

Absorption %
1-4%
Penetration Level
surface
Penetration Depth
stratum corneum
Molecular Weight
182.2 Da
Log P
-3.1
Systemic Absorption
minimal
Topical Bioavailability
0.5-2%
Safety Margin Factor
low

Source: CIR

Expert Verdict

Sorbitol is permitted without restriction under EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and concluded safe by the CIR Expert Panel (2025) with negligible dermal absorption and no sensitization potential.

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Concern Level: None

Regulatory Flags

eu-unrestricted cir-approved gras-fda no-sccs-opinion non-sensitizing humectant jecfa_safe

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sorbitol safe in cosmetics?

Sorbitol is permitted without restriction under EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and concluded safe by the CIR Expert Panel (2025) with negligible dermal absorption and no sensitization potential. The EU classifies Sorbitol as "permitted". Safety rating: EXCELLENT.

Is Sorbitol allowed in the EU?

Sorbitol EU regulatory status: permitted. Maximum allowed concentration: 60.5%. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Sorbitol do in cosmetics?

Sorbitol functions as: Humectant. It is classified as a Cosmetic Ingredient in our database. CAS number: 1259528-21-6.

What is the Margin of Safety for Sorbitol?

not established 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.

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