Is Tocopherol safe in cosmetics?
Tocopherol has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted. 5 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Tocopherol
Also known as: 2H-1-Benzopyran-6-ol, 3,4-dihydro-2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-[(4R,8R)-4,8,12-trimethyltridecyl]-, (2R)-, D-alpha-Tocopherol, E Prolin, (all-R)-alpha-Tocopherol, Antisterility vitamin (+15 more)
INCI: TOCOPHEROL
Tocopherol (CAS 59-02-9) is a cosmetic antioxidant functioning as Antioxidant; chain-breaking free radical scavenger (HAT mechanism); lipophilic. Reported NOAEL =180 mg/kg bw/day in Rat (ECHA); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety, pharmaceutical, and food safety data.
Function
Antioxidant; chain-breaking free radical scavenger (HAT mechanism); lipophilic skin-conditioning agent; product stabiliser against oxidative rancidity; photoprotective booster
Editorial assessment
EXCELLENT
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
FDA GRAS for food use (21 CFR 182.3890). CIR Expert Panel final report confirms safety of tocopherol, tocopheryl acetate, and mixed tocopherols as used in cosmetics at typical use levels (0.01–1%). No concentration limits for cosmetic 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 Tocopherol.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
5 study endpoints found for Tocopherol. 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 | =180 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | subchronic | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =1028 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | developmental | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =1086 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | subchronic | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =1600 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | developmental | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =2000 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | chronic | ECHA |
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
10 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAEL | =540 mg/day | Human | oral | - | EFSA |
| LOEL | =50 mg/kg-day | Rat | injection | subchronic | ECOTOX |
| NOEL | =50 mg/kg-day | Rat | injection | subchronic | ECOTOX |
| NOEL | =50 mg/kg-day | Rat | injection | short-term | ECOTOX |
| NOEL | =100 mg/kg-day | Rat | injection | subchronic | ECOTOX |
| LOAEL | =125 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | subchronic | ECHA |
| LOAEL | =500 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | chronic | ECHA |
| LOAEL | =21 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =1600 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =1600 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | ECHA |
Sensitization AOP Dashboard
Adverse Outcome Pathway data across 5 assays (DPRA, KeratinoSens, hCLAT, LLNA, NESIL) aggregated from public sources.
DPRA Cys %
0%
DPRA Lys %
7.1%
KeratinoSens IC50
2000 µM
hCLAT CV75
1000 µg/mL
GHS: inconclusive
Source: DPRA: Hoffmann et al., 2018; KS: No reference provided in NICEATM database; hCLAT: Urbisch et al. 2015 [DOI:10.1016/j.yrtph.2014.12.008]
Endocrine Disruptor Evidence (Expanded)
Cross-referenced EDC classifications, mechanism data, and dose-response evidence from EDLists, SIN List, and cosmetic-specific detail sources.
Cosmetic-Specific Mechanism
Category: other
Receptor targets: ERα (limited evidence)
LOEC: 100 µM
EU status: allowed
weak modulator
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
10 - 100 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Typical Use Concentrations
Reported concentration ranges per product category from SCCS/CIR/industry sources.
| Product Category | Typical Range | Max Reported | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Face Cream | 0.1–1 | 2 | CIR Safety Assessment |
| Body Lotion | 0.1–1 | 2 | CIR Safety Assessment |
| Sunscreen | 0.1–0.5 | 1 | CIR Safety Assessment |
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Antioxidant
Binder
Fragrance
Pharmaceutical
Preservative
Softener and conditioner
Regulatory List Membership (3)
EU Regulated in Personal Care
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
EPA Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Tocopherol — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
antioxidant
lipophilic
hat-mechanism
chain-breaking
uv-sensitive
unstable-pure-form
opaque-packaging-required
synergistic-with-vitamin-c
photoprotective
cir-reviewed
gras
anti-aging
epa_safer_alternative
ifra_fragrance
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Tocopherol by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
5
Lowest NOAEL
180 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
2000 mg/kg bw/day
ECHA
Known Synonyms
2H-1-Benzopyran-6-ol, 3,4-dihydro-2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-[(4R,8R)-4,8,12-trimethyltridecyl]-, (2R)-
D-alpha-Tocopherol
E Prolin
(all-R)-alpha-Tocopherol
Antisterility vitamin
2H-1-Benzopyran-6-ol, 3,4-dihydro-2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-(4,8,12-trimethyltridecyl)-, (2R-(2R*(4R*,8R*)))-
Covi-Ox
EINECS 200-412-2
2,5,7,8-Tetramethyl-2-(4',8',12'-trimethyltridecyl)-6-chromanol
alpha-Tocopherol acid
alpha-Tokoferol
Viprimol
Vitamin E alpha
Viterra E
alpha Tocopherol
UNII-N9PR3490H9
Tocopherol alpha
alpha-Tocopherol, D-
(+)-a-Tocopherol
(+)-alpha-Tocopherol
Chemical Function
Softener and conditioner
Fragrance
Antioxidant
Pharmaceutical
Preservative
Binder
Regulatory Lists
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
IFRA Transparency
SCIL (9/2019)
Europe; supplements
Europe; food_additive; supplements
Europe; Personal care
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
ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL47
Adverse Event Associations
467
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
Alpha-tocopherol
E Number
E307
ADI
0.15 mg/kg bw
Food Category
preservative
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tocopherol allowed in the EU?
Tocopherol EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Tocopherol do in cosmetics?
Tocopherol functions as: Antioxidant; chain-breaking free radical scavenger (HAT mechanism); lipophilic skin-conditioning agent; product stabiliser against oxidative rancidity; photoprotective booster. It is classified as a Antioxidant in our database. CAS number: 59-02-9.
What is the NOAEL for Tocopherol?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Tocopherol is =180 mg/kg bw/day based on a subchronic study via oral route in Rat. A total of 5 study endpoints are available. Source: ECHA.
Is Tocopherol used outside cosmetics?
Tocopherol also appears in industrial chemical safety, pharmaceutical, and food safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check Tocopherol compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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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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