Is VANILLIC ACID safe to use in EU cosmetics?

VANILLIC 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.

What other records share CAS 121-34-6?

CAS 121-34-6 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 VANILLIC ACID?

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 9566118/04/2018

VANILLIC ACID

Benzoic acid, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-

VANILLIC 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 121-34-6

CAS 121-34-6PubChem CID 8468

Vanillic Acid

Vanillic acid is a monohydroxybenzoic acid that is 4-hydroxybenzoic acid substituted by a methoxy group at position 3. It has a role as a plant metabolite. It is a methoxybenzoic acid and a monohydroxybenzoic acid. It is a conjugate acid of a vanillate. — ChEBI

IUPAC name: 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic acid

Molecular formula: C8H8O4
Molecular weight: 168.15 g/mol
Exact mass: 168.04225873 Da
XLogP3: 1.4
Topological polar surface area: 66.8 Å²
Hydrogen-bond donors: 2
Hydrogen-bond acceptors: 4
Covalent units: 1
Defined stereocentres: 0

Also known as

Acide vanilliqueBenzoic acid, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-3-Methoxy-4-hydroxybenzoic acidGM8Q3JM2Y8Acid, 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoicNSC-3987NSC-674322FEMA NO. 3988

16 more reported names

CHEBI:30816Acid, Vanillic4 Hydroxy 3 methoxybenzoic Acidp Hydroxy m methoxy benzoic Acidp-Hydroxy-m-methoxy-benzoic AcidAcid, p-Hydroxy-m-methoxy-benzoicRefChem:6346204-466-8p-Vanillic acidVanillicAcidm-Anisic acid, 4-hydroxy-4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-Benzoic acidProtocatechuic acid, 3-methyl esterNSC 3987NSC 6743224-Hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoicacid

Open full PubChem record PubChem annotations 3D structure image

External database identifiers

ChEBI:CHEBI:30816
ChEMBL:CHEMBL120568
EPA DTXSID:DTXSID6059522
PubMed:36764371
PubMed:33651899
PubMed:28594102
PubMed:25794854
PubMed:24165878
PubMed:23800587
PubMed:23738459
PubMed:22633976
PubMed:22540029
PubMed:22515452
PubMed:22493033
PubMed:22359583

Evidence from additional scientific databases

NIH PubChem PUG-View

Exact identifier match8468

Attributed physical-property, hazard, environmental and use annotations.

pKa: 4.51 (at 25 °C) Source: DrugBank

LogP: 1.43 Source: DrugBank
LogP: 1.43 Source: Human Metabolome Database (HMDB)

Melting Point: 211.5 °C Source: DrugBank
Melting Point: 211.5 °C Source: Human Metabolome Database (HMDB)

Physical Description: White odorless solid; [Merck Index] White to beige powder; [Acros Organics MSDS] Source: Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases
Physical Description: Solid Source: Human Metabolome Database (HMDB)
Physical Description: White to beige powder or needle; vanilla like odour Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)

Solubility: 1500 mg/L (at 14 °C) Source: DrugBank
Solubility: 1.5 mg/mL at 14 °C Source: Human Metabolome Database (HMDB)
Solubility: slightly soluble in water; soluble in organic solvents Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
Solubility: soluble (in ethanol) Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)

Vapor Pressure: 0.0000171 [mmHg] Source: Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases

Note: This chemical does not meet GHS hazard criteria for 72.4% (97 of 134) of all reports. Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
Signal: Warning Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
GHS Hazard Statements: H315 (27.6%): Causes skin irritation [Warning Skin corrosion/irritation]; H319 (27.6%): Causes serious eye irritation [Warning Serious eye damage/eye irritation]; H335 (26.9%): May cause respiratory irritation [Warning Specific target organ toxicity, single exposure; Respiratory tract irritation] Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
Precautionary Statement Codes: P261, P264, P264+P265, P271, P280, P302+P352, P304+P340, P305+P351+P338, P319, P321, P332+P317, P337+P317, P362+P364, P403+P233, P405, and P501 (click each P-code to see the statement) Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
ECHA C&L Notifications Summary: Aggregated GHS information provided per 134 reports by companies from 8 notifications to the ECHA C&L Inventory. Each notification may be associated with multiple companies.; Reported as not meeting GHS hazard criteria per 97 of 134 reports by companies.; There are 7 notifications provided by 37 of 134 reports by companies with hazard statement code(s).; Information may vary between notifications depending on impurities, additives, and other factors. The percentage value in parenthesis indicates the notified classification ratio from companies that provide hazard codes. Only hazard codes with percentage values above 10% are shown. For more detailed information, please visit ECHA C&L website. Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)

Sources/Uses: Used as flavoring agent or adjuvant; [FDA] Source: Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases

Mapped by: Existing checksum-valid CAS to unique PubChem CID match. Retrieved: 2026-08-31. Open source record

Scientific classifications and hazard annotations provide context and do not replace the market-specific regulatory decision shown above.

Additional source coverage and match status

Source	Result	Checked
NIH PubChem PUG-View	Exact match	2026-08-31

A recorded no-match is useful evidence that the source was checked; it is not a claim that the substance does not exist elsewhere.

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 VANILLIC ACID

INCI name

VANILLIC ACID

Description

Benzoic acid, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-

Record provenance

Inventory reference: 95661
Imported identity: VANILLIC ACID
Source update: 18/04/2018

European Commission CosIng source notes

Annex records for VANILLIC ACID

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Key data

CAS

121-34-6

204-466-8

Restriction

—

Function

NOT REPORTED: No function currently reported.

Official EU ingredient-name evidence

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

#29811 · VANILLIC ACID

Ingredients with overlapping formulation functions

TRIPEPTIDE-75NOT REPORTED

TRIPEPTIDE-76NOT REPORTED

TRIPEPTIDE-78NOT REPORTED

TRIPHENYL DIMETHYLVINYL DISILOXANENOT REPORTED

VINEGARNOT REPORTED

VINYL CHLORIDENOT REPORTED

VINYLIDENE DIFLUORIDENOT REPORTED

VINYLSTYRENENOT REPORTED

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 VANILLIC ACID appears in the CosIng inventory

The CosIng inventory lists VANILLIC 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.

VANILLIC ACID 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

VANILLIC 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, VANILLIC ACID carries the following function designation(s):

NOT REPORTED

CAS 121-34-6 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 VANILLIC ACID

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

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