Is Vanillin safe in cosmetics?
Vanillin has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: restricted. US status: permitted. 5 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Vanillin
Also known as: 4-08-00-01763, BRN 0472792, EINECS 204-465-2, FEMA No. 3107, Methylprotocatechuic aldehyde (+14 more)
INCI: VANILLIN
Vanillin (CAS 121-33-5) is a cosmetic fragrance functioning as Fragrance ingredient; nature-identical aromatic aldehyde. Primary aromatic. NOAEL 300 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted, max Labelling threshold: 10 ppm (leave-on) / 100 ppm (rinse-off) per EU Regulation 2023/1545. No concentration restriction in cosmetics.; GHS signal word WARNING. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety and food safety data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 121-33-5 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
Fragrance ingredient; nature-identical aromatic aldehyde. Primary aromatic compound of natural vanilla produced synthetically from guaiacol (petrochemical route), lignin (paper industry byproduct), or ferulic acid (biotransformation from rice bran). Molecularly identical to vanilla-derived vanillin. Antioxidant secondary activity. Wide cosmetic use as fragrance, flavoring in oral care, and masking agent.
Safety Rating
GOOD
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde
InChIKey
MWOOGOJBHIARFG-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
restricted
EU Max Conc.
Labelling threshold: 10 ppm (leave-on) / 100 ppm (rinse-off) per EU Regulation 2023/1545. No concentration restriction in cosmetics.
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Permitted without restriction. GRAS for food use (21 CFR). No US cosmetic concentration cap. Guaiacol/petrochemical route ISO 16128 NI=0; partial NI for lignin-derived or ferulic acid biotransformation routes.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Vanillin.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
5 study endpoints found for Vanillin. 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 | 100 mg/kg bw/day | oral | dog | Chronic | COSMOS_DB |
| NOAEL | 437 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Chronic | COSMOS_DB |
| NOAEL | 500 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Chronic | COSMOS_DB |
| NOAEL | =250 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | reproduction developmental | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
| NOAEL | =780 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | chronic | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Signal Word
WARNING
Hazard Statements
May be harmful if swallowed Harmful to aquatic life
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Vanillin across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
Sensitization Profile
Contact sensitization data for Vanillin based on clinical patch test studies and IFRA standards.
Sensitization Rate
low
Allergen Class
fragrance
EU Allergen Listed
yes
Patch Test Positive Rate
0.3%
Cross-reactivity Group
balsam-of-peru-group
Reaction Type
contact-dermatitis
IFRA Restricted
Source: EU 2023/1545; SCCS/1459/11
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LD50 | >5010 mg/kg | Rabbit | dermal | acute | ECHA IUCLID |
| NOAEL | =250 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | ECHA IUCLID |
| NOAEL | >=78 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | chronic | ECHA IUCLID |
| NOEL | =500 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | ECHA IUCLID |
| NOAEL | =400 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | subchronic | EFSA |
| NOAEL | =1000 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | chronic | EFSA |
| ADI | <=10 mg/kg | Human | oral | - | WHO JECFA ADI |
| LD50 | >2000 mg/kg | Rat | dermal | acute | ECHA IUCLID |
| LD50 | =3830 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ECHA IUCLID |
| LD50 | =3300 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ECHA IUCLID |
Sensitization AOP Dashboard
Adverse Outcome Pathway data across 5 assays (DPRA, KeratinoSens, hCLAT, LLNA, NESIL) aggregated from public sources.
DPRA Cys %
0.95%
DPRA Lys %
6.6%
KeratinoSens IC50
2000 µM
hCLAT CV75
650 µg/mL
LLNA EC3
50%
NESIL
1241 µg/cm²
LLNA: Weak (1B)
GHS: 1B
Human: positive
Source: LLNA: Gerberick et al. (2005); DPRA: Bauch et al. 2012 [DOI:10.1016/j.yrtph.2012.05.013] | Gerberick et al. 2007 [DOI:10.1093/toxsci/kfm064]; KS: Bauch et al. 2012 [DOI:10.1016/j.yrtph.2012.05.013] | Natsch et al. 2013 [DOI:10.1002/jat.2868]; hCLAT: Ashikaga et al. 2010 [DOI:10.1177/026119291003800403] | Bauch et al. 2012 [DOI:10.1016/j.yrtph.2012.05.013]; HPPT: [103] Greif N (1967): Cutaneous safety of fragrance material as measured by the maximization test.
HRIPT Human Patch Test Studies
5 human repeat insult patch tests aggregated from dermatological literature.
| Test Type | N | Sensitized | Dose µg/cm² | NESIL µg/cm² | Potency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HRIPT | 114 | 0 | 5314 | 5314 | non-sensitizer |
| HRIPT | 105 | 0 | 1181 | 1181 | non-sensitizer |
| HRIPT | - | 0 | 5314 | 5314 | weak |
| HMT | - | 0 | 1241.38 | - | - |
| HMT | - | 0 | 3240 | - | - |
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
1,000 - 10,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Expanded Dermal Absorption Data
Cross-database dermal penetration: EPA Dryad physics-based, Roberts Mendeley permeation, and SCCS-aggregated measured values.
EPA Dryad Skin Absorption (physics-based)
MW: 152.149
LogP: 1.19255
Kp epidermis: 0.00567 cm/h
% dose epidermis: 0.96%
% dose stratum corneum: 0.97%
% dose dermis: 0.94%
Source: EPA_Dryad_Skin_Absorption_2024
Additional Ingredient Properties
3 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
allergen_detail
{"eu_allergen_listed": "yes", "allergen_class": "fragrance", "cross_reactivity_group": "balsam-of-peru-group", "patch_test_frequency_pct": "0.3", "sensitization_rate": "low", "common_reaction_type": "contact-dermatitis", "ifra_restricted": "yes", "source": "EU 2023/1545; SCCS/1459/11"}
cost_pricing
{"cost_tier": "budget", "estimated_cost_per_kg_usd_low": "18", "estimated_cost_per_kg_usd_high": "32", "natural_premium_markup_pct": "0", "organic_certified_premium_pct": "0", "supply_chain_volatility": "low", "primary_source_region": "China/France", "bulk_discount_threshold_kg": "200", "seasonal_price_variation": "low", "commodity_or_specialty": "commodity", "substitute_ingredients": "Ethyl Vanil…
fragrance
{"cas_number": "121-33-5", "ingredient_class": "aroma_chemical", "chemical_class": "aldehyde", "odor_family": "gourmand", "odor_description": "vanilla, sweet, creamy", "odor_strength": "very_strong", "odor_tenacity_hours": "120.0", "top_note": "no", "heart_note": "yes", "base_note": "yes", "blending_factor_1_10": "9.0", "threshold_of_detection_ppb": "0.5", "molecular_weight_Da": "152.15", "boiling…
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (3)
Carcinogen Classification
No indication of carcinogenicity to humans (not listed by IARC).
Source: Toxin and Toxin Target Database (T3DB)
ICSC Safety Card
1740
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Skin Eye Respiratory Irritation
...highly irritating action on the eyes and mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. /Aldehydes/
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Regulatory (3)
JECFA Number
889
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
JECFA Evaluation
4-HYDROXY-3-METHOXYBENZALDEHYDE | 2001 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | TRS 909-JECFA 57/84 | FAS 48-JECFA 57/273
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
JECFA Evaluation
VANILLIN | 2019 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | Considered for specifications only | TRS 1020-JECFA 87/75 | FAS 48-JECFA 57/273
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Deodorizer
Dye
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Regulatory List Membership (4)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
EPA Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Consumer Product Chemical
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Vanillin.
Regulatory Flags
fragrance
nature-identical
eu-allergen
labelling-required
regulation-2023-1545
antioxidant
sensitizer-risk
epa_safer_alternative
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Vanillin by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
5
Lowest NOAEL
100 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
780 mg/kg bw/day
COSMOS_DB
ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID
Known Synonyms
4-08-00-01763
BRN 0472792
EINECS 204-465-2
FEMA No. 3107
Methylprotocatechuic aldehyde
Protocatechualdehyde, methyl-
Protocatechualdehyde 3-methyl ether
UNII-CHI530446X
3-Methoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (vanillin)
4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy-Benzaldehyde-5-chlorovanillin
4-Hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde (ACD/Name 4.0)
4-Hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde (vanillin)
4-hydroxy 3-methoxybenzaldehyde
4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-benzaldehyde
Benzaldehyde, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-
Lioxin
Methyl-Protocatechualdehyde
Methylprotcatechuic aldehyde
Oleo-Resins vanilla
Chemical Function
Fragrance
Deodorizer
Flavouring and nutrient
Regulatory Lists
inert_ingredient; Pesticides
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
consumer_product
Canada; pharmaceutical
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
inert_ingredient; Pesticides
artificial_saliva; detected; emissions; Europe; Furniture and Furnishings
artificial_saliva; detected; emissions; Europe; Other indirect contact consumer goods
air; Cleaning products and household care - air freshener; detected; emissions; Europe
Cleaning products and household care - air freshener; Europe
air; Cleaning products and household care - air freshener; detected; emissions; Europe
detected; Europe; Personal care - sexual wellness
detected; Europe; Personal care - sexual wellness
Australia; Food and drug - smoking-related products
Cons electronics mech appliances and machinery; detected; Europe
Cons electronics mech appliances and machinery; detected; Europe
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in food safety data.
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
VANILLIN
ADI
0-10 mg/kg bw (1967) mg/kg bw
Food Category
flavoring
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Vanillin allowed in the EU?
Vanillin EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: Labelling threshold: 10 ppm (leave-on) / 100 ppm (rinse-off) per EU Regulation 2023/1545. No concentration restriction in cosmetics.. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Vanillin do in cosmetics?
Vanillin functions as: Fragrance ingredient; nature-identical aromatic aldehyde. Primary aromatic compound of natural vanilla produced synthetically from guaiacol (petrochemical route), lignin (paper industry byproduct), or ferulic acid (biotransformation from rice bran). Molecularly identical to vanilla-derived vanillin. Antioxidant secondary activity. Wide cosmetic use as fragrance, flavoring in oral care, and masking agent.. It is classified as a Fragrance in our database. CAS number: 121-33-5.
What is the NOAEL for Vanillin?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Vanillin is 100 mg/kg bw/day based on a Chronic study via oral route in dog. A total of 5 study endpoints are available. Source: COSMOS_DB.
Is Vanillin classified as hazardous under GHS?
Vanillin carries a GHS signal word of "WARNING". Hazard statements: May be harmful if swallowed Harmful to aquatic life. This classification is based on the ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Card and ECHA C&L inventory data. Note: GHS classification applies to the pure substance — at cosmetic use concentrations, hazard thresholds may not be met.
Is Vanillin used outside cosmetics?
Vanillin also appears in industrial chemical safety and food safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check Vanillin 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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