Is TARTARIC ACID safe to use in EU cosmetics?

TARTARIC ACID is listed in the EU CosIng ingredient inventory with no direct annex restriction records linked at this time. Always verify against the current official CosIng database before formulating.

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InventoryRef 3847615/10/2010

TARTARIC ACID

2,3-Dihydroxybutanedioic acid

TARTARIC ACID is listed in the EU CosIng inventory, but no direct annex records are linked on this page yet.

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Regulatory evidence by market

No rule for this ingredient has been imported for any of the 13 markets tracked here.

That describes this inventory, not the law. No imported rule is not evidence that an ingredient is permitted: a rule may exist under another name or identifier, or in a dataset not yet imported here.

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Chemical identity and properties

PubChem 2D chemical structure for CAS 147-71-7

CAS 147-71-7PubChem CID 439655

D-Tartaric acid

D-tartaric acid is the D-enantiomer of tartaric acid. It has a role as an Escherichia coli metabolite. It is a conjugate acid of a D-tartrate(1-). It is an enantiomer of a L-tartaric acid. — ChEBI

IUPAC name: (2S,3S)-2,3-dihydroxybutanedioic acid

Molecular formula: C4H6O6
Molecular weight: 150.09 g/mol
Exact mass: 150.01643791 Da
XLogP3: -1.9
Topological polar surface area: 115.0 Å²
Hydrogen-bond donors: 4
Hydrogen-bond acceptors: 6
Covalent units: 1
Defined stereocentres: 2

Also known as

D-(-)-Tartaric acid(-)-Tartaric acidD-threaric acid(-)-D-Tartaric acid(S,S)-Tartaric acid(2S,3S)-(-)-Tartaric acid(2S,3S)-Tartaric acid(-)-(S,S)-Tartaric acid

16 more reported names

(S,S)-(-)-Tartaric acidunusual tartaric acidRRX6A4PL3CTARTARIC ACID, D-UNNATURAL TARTARIC ACIDCHEBI:15672RefChem:130683GlyTouCan:G95238FE205-695-6(2S,3S)-2,3-Dihydroxysuccinic acidD(-)-TARTARIC ACIDButanedioic acid, 2,3-dihydroxy-, (2S,3S)-133-37-9C4H6O6S-Bacampicillinlevo-Tartaric acid

Open full PubChem record PubChem annotations 3D structure image

External database identifiers

ChEBI:CHEBI:15672
ChEMBL:CHEMBL1200861
EPA DTXSID:DTXSID4043775
EPA DTXSID:DTXSID5046986
PubMed:22983504
PubMed:22287180
PubMed:22267127
PubMed:22192415
PubMed:21876672
PubMed:21739986
PubMed:21582633
PubMed:21580069
PubMed:21522796
PubMed:21202277
PubMed:21151879
PubMed:20882599

Retrieved from NIH PubChem on 2026-08-31 by checksum-valid CAS matching. Chemical properties do not replace the regulatory decision on this page.

PubChem 2D chemical structure for CAS 87-69-4

CAS 87-69-4PubChem CID 444305

L-Tartaric acid

L-tartaric acid is the L-enantiomer of tartaric acid. It is a conjugate acid of a L-tartrate(1-). It is an enantiomer of a D-tartaric acid. — ChEBI

IUPAC name: (2R,3R)-2,3-dihydroxybutanedioic acid

Molecular formula: C4H6O6
Molecular weight: 150.09 g/mol
Exact mass: 150.01643791 Da
XLogP3: -1.9
Topological polar surface area: 115.0 Å²
Hydrogen-bond donors: 4
Hydrogen-bond acceptors: 6
Covalent units: 1
Defined stereocentres: 2

Also known as

L-(+)-Tartaric acidL(+)-Tartaric acidtartaric acid(2R,3R)-2,3-dihydroxysuccinic acid(+)-Tartaric acid(+)-L-Tartaric acid(R,R)-Tartaric acidThrearic acid

16 more reported names

Dextrotartaric acidL-threaric acidNatural tartaric acid(+)-(R,R)-Tartaric acid(2R,3R)-Tartaric acidRechtsweinsaeureKyselina vinna(R,R)-(+)-Tartaric acidFEMA No. 3044WeinsteinsaeureButanedioic acid, 2,3-dihydroxy- (2R,3R)-L-2,3-Dihydroxybutanedioic acid1,2-Dihydroxyethane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid(+)-WeinsaeureNSC-62778INS NO.334

Open full PubChem record PubChem annotations 3D structure image

External database identifiers

ChEBI:CHEBI:15671
ChEMBL:CHEMBL1236315
EPA DTXSID:DTXSID8023632
PubMed:22974307
PubMed:22843080
PubMed:22531183
PubMed:22446789
PubMed:22298304
PubMed:21881892
PubMed:21763314
PubMed:21754714
PubMed:21588606
PubMed:21581690
PubMed:21581318
PubMed:21201980

Retrieved from NIH PubChem on 2026-08-31 by checksum-valid CAS matching. Chemical properties do not replace the regulatory decision on this page.

Inventory details for TARTARIC ACID

INCI name

TARTARIC ACID

INN name

tartaric acid

Description

2,3-Dihydroxybutanedioic acid

Record provenance

Inventory reference: 38476
Imported identity: TARTARIC ACID
Source update: 15/10/2010

European Commission CosIng source notes

Annex records for TARTARIC ACID

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Key data

CAS

133-37-9 / 147-71-7 / 87-69-4

205-105-7 / 205-695-6 / 201-766-0

Restriction

—

Function

BUFFERING: Stabilising the pH of an aqueous medium in a narrow range even if an acid or base is added. Altering and/or maintaining a cosmetic product's pH at the desired level.
FRAGRANCE: Imparting an odour or taste. Creating a perceivable pleasant smell and/or masking a bad smell.

Official EU ingredient-name evidence

The ingredient name exactly matches the official 2025 EU glossary of common ingredient names.

#28322 · TARTARIC ACID

Ingredients with overlapping formulation functions

SORBITYL DIMONIUM ANISATEANTIMICROBIAL, BUFFERING, FLAVOURING

STRONTIUM HYDROXIDEBUFFERING

SUCCINIC ACIDBUFFERING, FRAGRANCE

SULFURIC ACIDBUFFERING

TAURINEBUFFERING

TEA-DIRICINOLEATE/IPDI COPOLYMERBUFFERING, FILM FORMING, HAIR CONDITIONING

TEA-HYDROIODIDEBUFFERING, SKIN CONDITIONING

TEA-SULFATEBUFFERING

Additional official and scientific sources

11 external databases to check this identity in

Each link searches that source for this identity. What each source is, and its legal weight

ECHA CHEM / Information on chemicals PubChem PUG REST EU Safety Gate cosmetic product alerts ECHA CHEM US EPA CompTox Cosmetic Ingredient Review safety assessments FDA Global Substance Registration System ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards Japan NITE-CHRIP NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards OECD eChemPortal

How TARTARIC ACID appears in the CosIng inventory

The CosIng inventory lists TARTARIC ACID as a cosmetic ingredient and this page links it to 0 annex records. The inventory entry captures names and identifiers, while the annex records show where the substance is prohibited, restricted or positively listed in EU cosmetics law.

TARTARIC ACID is also tagged with 2 cosmetic functions in the official data. Function labels describe intended use, but they do not replace regulatory review of linked annex records before formulation or labelling work.

Frequently asked questions

TARTARIC ACID is listed in the EU CosIng ingredient inventory with no direct annex restriction records linked at this time. Absence of an annex link does not guarantee unrestricted use — always verify against the current official CosIng database before formulating.

According to the EU CosIng inventory, TARTARIC ACID carries the following function designation(s):

CAS 133-37-9 / 147-71-7 / 87-69-4 may appear across multiple EU annex records. Viewing the CAS lookup page shows all Annex II–VI entries sharing this identifier, which is useful for identifying cross-annex regulatory status of the same chemical substance.

Use the INCI Checker to screen a full ingredient list across selected markets, or compare this substance across all supported market datasets.

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Source note for TARTARIC ACID

This page reproduces the CosIng inventory entry for TARTARIC ACID from public European Commission cosmetic ingredient materials and shows linked identifiers even when no direct annex match is currently attached.

Use this inventory page to research TARTARIC ACID and compare linked records, but verify restrictions and legal status against the current official source text and law before making regulatory decisions.

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