Is GUAIACOL safe to use in EU cosmetics?

GUAIACOL 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.

What other records share CAS 90-05-1?

CAS 90-05-1 may appear across multiple EU annex records. The CAS lookup page shows all Annex II–VI entries sharing this identifier, useful for identifying cross-annex regulatory status of the same chemical substance.

How do I check if my formula contains GUAIACOL?

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

InventoryRef 4009902/03/2011

GUAIACOL

2-Methoxyphenol; o-Methylcatechol

GUAIACOL 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 90-05-1

CAS 90-05-1PubChem CID 460

Guaiacol

Guaiacol is an agent thought to have disinfectant properties and used as an expectorant. Guaiacol is a phenolic natural product first isolated from Guaiac resin and the oxidation of lignin. Guaiacol is also present in wood smoke, as a product of pyrolysis of lignin. Guaiacol has been found in the urine of patients with neuroblastoma and pheochromocytoma. — DrugBank

IUPAC name: 2-methoxyphenol

Molecular formula: C7H8O2
Molecular weight: 124.14 g/mol
Exact mass: 124.052429494 Da
XLogP3: 1.3
Topological polar surface area: 29.5 Å²
Hydrogen-bond donors: 1
Hydrogen-bond acceptors: 2
Covalent units: 1
Defined stereocentres: 0

Also known as

o-Methoxyphenol2-Hydroxyanisoleo-GuaiacolGuaiastilPyroguaiac acido-HydroxyanisolePhenol, 2-methoxy-Anastil

16 more reported names

1-Hydroxy-2-methoxybenzenePyrocatechol monomethyl etherGuaicolPhenol, o-methoxy-GuaicolinaGuajolGuasolO-Methyl catecholCreodon2-Methoxy-PhenolGuajacolGuajakolCatechol monomethyl etherFEMA No. 2532Pyrocatechol methyl ester(mu)-methoxyphenol

Open full PubChem record PubChem annotations 3D structure image

External database identifiers

ChEBI:CHEBI:28591
ChEMBL:CHEMBL13766
EPA DTXSID:DTXSID0023113
PubMed:40783823
PubMed:33847444
PubMed:31400774
PubMed:26367700
PubMed:26111810
PubMed:25786527
PubMed:24593989
PubMed:24387763
PubMed:24141029
PubMed:23800587
PubMed:23449869
PubMed:23124346

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 GUAIACOL

INCI name

GUAIACOL

Description

2-Methoxyphenol; o-Methylcatechol

Record provenance

Inventory reference: 40099
Imported identity: GUAIACOL
Source update: 02/03/2011

European Commission CosIng source notes

Annex records for GUAIACOL

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Key data

CAS

90-05-1

201-964-7

Restriction

—

Function

PERFUMING: Used for perfume and aromatic raw materials.

Ingredients with overlapping formulation functions

GLYCYRRHIZA GLABRA ROOT OILPERFUMING

GLYOXALANTIMICROBIAL, PERFUMING

GRASS-HAY HERB EXTRACTPERFUMING

GRASS-HAY HERB OILPERFUMING

GUAIACOL ACETATEPERFUMING

GUAIACOL PHENYLACETATEPERFUMING

GUAIACUM OFFICINALE EXTRACT ACETYLATED-SULFATEDPERFUMING

GUAIACUM OFFICINALE WOOD EXTRACTPERFUMING, SKIN CONDITIONING

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 GUAIACOL appears in the CosIng inventory

The CosIng inventory lists GUAIACOL 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.

GUAIACOL is also tagged with 1 cosmetic function 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

GUAIACOL 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, GUAIACOL carries the following function designation(s):

PERFUMING

CAS 90-05-1 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.

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Source note for GUAIACOL

This page reproduces the CosIng inventory entry for GUAIACOL 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 GUAIACOL 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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Tools & next steps

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