Phenol is an organic hydroxy compound that consists of benzene bearing a single hydroxy substituent.
How much products actually contain
No product states its amount yet.
Of the products containing it, 0 list it before the 1% line and 1 after it (usually 1% or less).
Products using this ingredient
1 of 1 confirmed · likeliest to carry enough first
Definition
Phenol is an organic hydroxy compound that consists of benzene bearing a single hydroxy substituent. The parent of the class of phenols. It has a role as an antiseptic drug, a disinfectant, a mouse metabolite and a human xenobiotic metabolite. It is a conjugate acid of a phenolate.
Source: PubChem
US FDA substance register · UNII 339NCG44TV · registered name Phenol · single chemical substance
Cosmetic roles
Safety & regulatory references
- Banned
- ASEAN · Canada · European Union · United Kingdom
- Restricted or banned
- Argentina · ASEAN · Brazil · Canada · China · European Union · South Korea
Source: ASEAN Cosmetic Directive · EU Cosmetics Regulation · Health Canada Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist · UK cosmetics regulations (OPSS) · MFDS (Korea) cosmetic regulatory information
Japan
- Maximum amount per 100 g(Maximum amount of ingredient per 100 g) : 0.10 g(0.10 g)
Source: MFDS (Korea) cosmetic regulatory information
Korea’s toxic-substance GHS classification: Danger · H311 (category 3) · H411 (category 2) · H373 (category 2) · +4 more
EU Cosmetics Regulation, Annex II (prohibited substances), entry 1175
Health Canada Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist · prohibited in cosmetics
Restriction II/1175
Source: EU CosIng ingredient list
More data — names, identifiers, properties, test records, literature
Official labels & definitions
JCIA labelling name フェノール: 本品は、次の化学式で表される芳香族化合物である。
Source: JCIA labelling names (Japan)
Names & identifiers
- CAS No.chemical registry number
- 108-95-2
- EC No.EU chemical inventory number
- 203-632-7
- DTXSIDUS EPA chemical ID
- DTXSID5021124
- DTXCIDUS EPA compound ID
- DTXCID501124
- IUPAC
- Phenol
- Molecular formula
- C6H6O
- Molecular weight
- 94.113 g/mol
Measured properties
- Appearance
- Phenol solution, [aqueous] is a white crystalline mass dissolved in an aqueous solution. Solution may be colorless to slightly pink in color with a distinctive phenol odor, sharp burning taste. Aqueous solution will be acidic and act as such. Toxic by ingestion, inhalation and skin absorption, strong irritant to tissues. · Phenol, liquid appears as a colorless liquid when pure, otherwise pink or red. Combustible. Flash point 175 °F. Must be heated before ignition may occur easily. Vapors are heavier than air. Corrosive to skin but because of anesthetic qualities will numb rather than burn. Upon contact skin may turn white. May be lethal by skin absorption. Does not react with water. Stable in normal transportation.
- Odour
- Distinct aromatic, somewhat sickening sweet and acrid odor, discernable at 0.5 to 5 ppm · Sweet, tarry odor
- Boiling point
- 360 °F at 760 mmHg (NTP, 1992) · 359 °F at 760 mmHg (NIOSH, 2024)
- Melting point
- 109 °F (NTP, 1992) · 109 °F (NIOSH, 2024)
- Solubility
- 50 to 100 mg/mL at 66 °F (NTP, 1992)
- pH
- 6
- Melting/freezing point
- 43 ℃
- Initial boiling point and range
- 182 ℃(101.3kPa)
- Flash point
- 79 ℃
- Upper/lower flammability or explosive limits
- 10 / 1.36 %
- Vapour pressure
- 0.2 hPa(25℃)
- Water solubility
- 84 g/ℓ(20℃)
- Vapour density
- 3.24
- Relative density
- 1.07 (g/cm3 20℃)
- n-Octanol/water partition coefficient (Kow)
- 1.47
- Auto-ignition temperature
- 715 ℃
- Viscosity
- 1.784 cP(75℃)
- Molecular weight
- 94.1124
Values measured on the substance itself. The KOSHA data are a reference for writing and reviewing safety data sheets, not a specification for a commercial raw material.
Source: PubChem · KOSHA safety data sheets (Korea)
What products actually use it for
What the 81 products reported to the US EPA with this ingredient use it for. Products outside cosmetics are included, so the top few rows are its main uses.
- Monomers20
- Fragrance15
- Solvent7
- Biocide5
- Intermediate4
- Deodorizer4
- Abrasive3
- Chemical reaction regulator3
13 other uses
- Antioxidant3
- Flavouring and nutrient3
- Adhesion/cohesion promoter2
- Pharmaceutical (EPA)2
- Preservative2
- Elasticizer1
- Insulators1
- Ion exchange agent1
- Degradant/impurity (EPA)1
- Hardener1
- UV stabilizer1
- Processing aids not otherwise specified1
- Fuel agents1
Source: US EPA CompTox dashboard
Irritation and sensitisation studies
9 skin studies and 4 eye studies are on record.
The study conclusions largely agree (100%). These tests are on the raw material itself; irritation at the amount in a finished product is a different question.
See all 13 studies
- Category 8.2B (Category 1B)
Skin Irritation · Read Across - Not classified
Skin Sensitization · Screening - Skin corrosion/irritation - Category 1
Skin Irritation · Screening - Not likely to be sensitizing
skin sensitisation: in vivo (non-LLNA) · Screening · equivalent or similar to OECD Guideline 406 (Skin Sensitisation) - Sh
Skin Sensitization · Authoritative - Corrosive
skin corrosion: in vitro / ex vivo · Screening · other guideline: OECD Guideline 431 according to - Skin Corr. 1B
Skin Irritation · Screening - Skin Corr. 1B
Skin Irritation · Authoritative - Category 1A-1C
Skin Irritation · Screening - Category 1
Eye Irritation · Screening - Corrosive or Irritation Persists for > 21 days
eye irritation: in vivo · Screening · OECD Guideline 405 (Acute Eye Irritation / Corrosion) equivalent or similar to - Category 8.3A (Category 1)
Eye Irritation · Read Across - Eye Dam. 1
Eye Irritation · Screening
Source: US EPA CompTox dashboard
Related literature
Linked databases 26
- ASEAN Cosmetic Directive
- Australian Industrial Chemicals Inventory (AICIS)
- ChEBI
- ChEMBL
- EU CosIng ingredient list 2
- EU Cosmetics Regulation
- EU prohibited substances (Annex II)
- Health Canada Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist
- IARC carcinogen classification
- Japan Standards for Cosmetics
- JCIA labelling names (Japan)
- Korea toxic substances GHS register (NIER)
- KOSHA safety data sheets (Korea)
- MFDS (Korea) cosmetic regulatory information 2 3 4
- NIST Chemistry WebBook
- PubChem 2
- Tlooto literature search 2 3 4 5
- UK cosmetics regulations (OPSS)
- UniChem cross-reference IDs
- US EPA CompTox dashboard 2
- US EPA DSSTox chemical database
- US FDA substance registration (GSRS)
- US FDA Unique Ingredient Identifier (UNII)
- US National Toxicology Program reports
- Wikidata
- Wikipedia · Korean · English · Japanese · Chinese