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Ethyl Acetate
AKA “Ethyl ethanoate, Acetic acid ethyl ester, Vinegar naphtha, Acetoxyethane, Acetic ether, Ethyl acetic ester, Acetic acid, ethyl ester”
Synthetic
Ingredient Facts
Ethyl acetate
AKA: Ethyl ethanoate, Acetic acid ethyl ester, Vinegar naphtha, Acetoxyethane, Acetic ether, Ethyl acetic ester, Acetic acid, Ethyl ester
Synthetic · Perfuming · EWG: 4
Synthetic
Fragrance
Solvent
Synthetic
Clean
A light, fruity-scented ingredient that helps blend and carry fragrance throughout the product while keeping it in liquid form.
Solubility 50 to 100 mg/mL at 70 °F (NTP, 1992)
Formula
C4H8O2
Mol. Weight
88.11
CAS #
141-78-6
Form
Liquid
State
Ethyl acetate appears as a clear colorless liquid with a fruity odor. Flash point 24 °F. Less dense than water. Vapors heavier than air.
See origin →
Functions
Perfuming
Added for scent. Can be natural or synthetic. Common irritant and allergen — one of the top reasons people react to products.
Solvent
Dissolves other ingredients so they distribute evenly in the formula. Often the invisible "base" everything else is mixed into.
Adds Fragrance
Dissolves Ingredients
Adds pleasant scent
Dissolves other ingredients
Traditional Use
Developed as a simple synthetic ester in the 19th century for industrial use. Incorporated into nail lacquers and cosmetic formulations mid-20th century as a volatile solvent and evaporative agent.
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
General
Melanin-Rich Skin
Suitable
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
EWG
4
CIR
Safe
Pregnancy
Yes
CIR Safety Findings
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Phototoxicity Concern
Regulatory Status
USA✔ permitted
EU⚠ restricted
JAPAN⚠ restricted
CANADA⚠ restricted
RIFM fragrance ingredient safety assessment, pentanedioic acid, 1,5-dimethyl ester, CAS Registry Number 1119-40-0.
Api AM, Belsito D, Botelho D, Browne D, Bruze M et al.
Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association, 2018
→
Safety Assessment of Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate and Beta-Alanine Diacetic Acid as Used in Cosmetics.
Burnett CL, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Cohen DE, Klaassen CD et al.
International journal of toxicology, 2025
→
Safety Assessment of Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate and Beta-Alanine Diacetic Acid as Used in Cosmetics.
Burnett CL, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Cohen DE, Klaassen CD et al.
International journal of toxicology, 2025
→
Sodium Dehydroacetate and Dehydroacetic Acid.
Cherian P, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Cohen DE, Klaassen CD et al.
International journal of toxicology, 2024
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Sodium Dehydroacetate and Dehydroacetic Acid.
Cherian P, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Cohen DE, Klaassen CD et al.
International journal of toxicology, 2024
→
Final Report of the Cosmetic Ingredient Reveiw Expert Panel on the Safety Assessment of Methyl Acetate
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
→
Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Ethyl Acetate and Butyl Acetate
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
→
Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Ethyl Ester of PVM/MA Copolymer and Butyl Ester of PVM/MA Copolymer
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
→
Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Sodium Dehydroacetate and Dehydroacetic Acid
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
→
Safety Assessment of Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate and Beta-Alanine Diacetic Acid as Used in Cosmetics
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
→
Sodium Dehydroacetate and Dehydroacetic Acid
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
→
Acetic Acid
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Beta-Alanine Diacetic Acid
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Butoxyethyl Acetate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
dehydroacetic acid
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Ethyl Acetate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Ethyl Ester of PVM/MA Copolymer
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Methyl Acetate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Potassium Ethyl Ester of PVM/MA Copolymer
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Shea Butter Ethyl Esters
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Silybum marianum ethyl ester
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Acetic acid and the skin: a review of vinegar in dermatology.
Elhage KG, St Claire K, Daveluy S
International journal of dermatology, 2022
→
Acetic acid and the skin: a review of vinegar in dermatology.
Elhage KG, St Claire K, Daveluy S
International journal of dermatology, 2022
→
Acetic Acid
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
dehydroacetic acid
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Ethyl Acetate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Ethyl Ester of PVM/MA Copolymer
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Methyl Acetate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Shea Butter Ethyl Esters
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Potential application of novel liquid crystal nanoparticles of isostearyl glyceryl ether for transdermal delivery of 4-biphenyl acetic acid.
Fujii MY, Asakawa Y, Fukami T
International journal of pharmaceutics, 2020
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Preparation of (13)C-labeled ceramide by acetic acid bacteria and its incorporation in mice.
Fukami H, Tachimoto H, Kishi M, Kaga T, Waki H et al.
Journal of lipid research, 2010
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Detection of fatty acid ethyl esters in skin surface lipids as biomarkers of ethanol consumption in alcoholics, social drinkers, light drinkers, and t
González-Illán F, Ojeda-Torres G, Díaz-Vázquez LM, Rosario O
Journal of analytical toxicology, 2011
→
3-Imidazol-4-ylacrylic acid and its ethyl ester
Health Canada
Health Canada Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist
→
Trichloroacetic acid
Health Canada
Health Canada Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist
→
Synthesis of mixed esters of ascorbic acid using methyl esters of palm and soybean oils.
Hsieh HJ, Chen JW, Giridhar R, Wu WT
Preparative biochemistry & biotechnology, 2005
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Liquid Chromatography Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Tandem Mass Spectrometry Characterization of Ethyl Acetate Fraction from Sargassum pallidum and Its An
Kim WC, Kang H, Lee SH
International journal of molecular sciences, 2025
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Antimicrobial activity of Butyl acetate, Ethyl acetate and Isopropyl alcohol on undesirable microorganisms in cosmetic products.
Lens C, Malet G, Cupferman S
International journal of cosmetic science, 2016
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[Two cases of occupational acute and severe methyl acetate poisoning].
Xie QY, Chu YM, Le YN
Zhonghua lao dong wei sheng zhi ye bing za zhi = Zhonghua laodong weisheng zhiyebing zazhi = Chinese journal of industrial hygiene and occupational diseases, 2025
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Verified Feb 2026
Data: PubChem · CosIng · EWG · CIR