METHOXYETHYL ACRYLATE (2-methoxyethyl acrylate)
Official label name (INCIInternational name of cosmetic ingredients: the one printed on the pack. name, EU glossary of cosmetic ingredient names), No 16427
- Prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II)
METHOXYETHYL ACRYLATE (2-methoxyethyl acrylate): Prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II, entry 1668), under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. Good to know: classified mutagenic (category 2); classified as a sensitiser (skin allergy); classified toxic for reproduction (category 1B). Annexes of the Regulation consulted on 21 October 2026.
Who it concerns
This ingredient is prohibited in cosmetics in the European Union: what follows describes its hazards, not a permitted use.
What official classifications and rules say for each group. A classification describes the hazard of the pure substance, not the risk of a product that contains it, which depends on the dose and the exposure.
Prohibition or serious classificationThe text prohibits the substance for this use, or ranks it among the most serious hazards (known or presumed carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic, identified endocrine disruptor).Worth watchingThe text sets a condition or flags a hazard worth knowing: allergen, suspected effect, condition for children, hazard to the aquatic environment.For informationOfficial information with no condition on a finished product: warning to read, irritation of the pure substance.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Prohibition or serious classificationThe text prohibits the substance for this use, or ranks it among the most serious hazards (known or presumed carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic, identified endocrine disruptor).
Prohibition or serious classification Classified under the CLPEU regulation that classifies chemicals by their hazards (EC No 1272/2008). Regulation: reproductive toxicity, category 1B (Repr. 1B), a hazard to fertility and the unborn child.
For a question about your own situation, ask your doctor, midwife or pharmacist.
Babies and children
The Cosmetics Regulation sets no age-related condition for this ingredient.
Skin, eyes and allergies
Worth watchingThe text sets a condition or flags a hazard worth knowing: allergen, suspected effect, condition for children, hazard to the aquatic environment.
Worth watching Classified under the CLP Regulation: skin corrosion, category 1C (Skin Corr. 1C); serious eye damage, category 1 (Eye Dam. 1); skin sensitisation, category 1 (Skin Sens. 1).
Environment
No harmonised classification as hazardous to the aquatic environment, and it is not on ECHAEuropean Chemicals Agency.'s Candidate List as an endocrine disruptor for the environment.
Read on the label
The Cosmetics Regulation requires no warning to be printed for this ingredient.
Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP), consolidated version, Annex VI table 3, retrieved 21 October 2026.
In plain words
What it is used for
Functions declared by manufacturers:
Film forming: produces, upon application, a continuous film on skin, hair or nails.
Functions declared in the CosIngThe European Commission's database of cosmetic ingredients. inventory. CosIng, inventory of cosmetic ingredients (INCI names, CAS, EC, functions), retrieved 21 October 2026.
Definitions of functions (decision repealed on 8 May 2020, cited for information). Decision 2006/257/EC, inventory of cosmetic ingredients (definitions of functions), retrieved 22 October 2026.
What the rules say
It is prohibited to use it in a cosmetic product sold in the European Union, whatever the dose. If it appears on the ingredient list of a recent product, this needs checking: the record may be old or wrong, or the product intended for another market.
CosIng, Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (prohibited substances), retrieved 21 October 2026, source updated 13 October 2026.
Hazard and risk
The CLP Regulation classifies this substance as mutagenic (may damage DNA), category 2 (suspected effect, without enough evidence for a higher category) and toxic for reproduction, category 1B (presumed effect, established mainly from animal studies).
This classification describes what the substance can cause (a hazard), not what happens when using a product (a risk): the risk depends on the dose, the form and the route of exposure (skin, inhalation, ingestion).
Already prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II).
Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP), consolidated version, Annex VI table 3, retrieved 21 October 2026.
The text of the annexes
Prohibited in cosmetics
CosIng links the name METHOXYETHYL ACRYLATE to this Annex II entry.
- Entry
- Annex II, No 1668
- Substance
- 2-methoxyethyl acrylate
- CAS
- 3121-61-7
- EC
- 221-499-3
Dates in the act (2)
- Entry into force on 23 November 2021
- Application from 1 March 2022
It shall apply from 1 March 2022.
Excerpts from the English text published in the Official Journal. A date may concern only some substances of the act: the excerpt says so.
Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex II, entry 1668. CosIng, Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (prohibited substances), retrieved 21 October 2026, source updated 13 October 2026.
Entry from Regulation (EU) 2021/1902, adopted on 29 October 2021.
What has changed, and what will change
Dates of the texts that cover this ingredient. A text date may cover several substances: the details of each entry are below.
Annex II, entry 1668: introduced or replaced by Regulation (EU) 2021/1902
Annex II, entry 1668: applies from this date
CLP classification “Muta. 2 ; Repr. 1B” applicable at the latest from this date (Regulation (EU) 2020/1182)
Identity
- CosIng identifier
- 94080
- CAS (according to CosIng)
- 3121-61-7
- EC (according to CosIng)
- 221-499-3
- Declared functions
- Film forming
- Wikidata
- Q27260866
- PubChem
- 18392
- ECHA InfoCard
- 100.019.545
- InChIKey
- HFCUBKYHMMPGBY-UHFFFAOYSA-N
CosIng inventory. CosIng, inventory of cosmetic ingredients (INCI names, CAS, EC, functions), retrieved 21 October 2026.
Wikidata, items with a CosIng identifier (P3073), retrieved 22 October 2026.
Wikidata, PubChem and ECHA links are published only when verified: same CosIng identifier, a single item, matching CAS number.
Classified hazard (CLP Regulation)
The harmonised classification is the one set by the European Union for the whole Union. H codes refer to the hazard statements of Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008.
2-methoxyethyl acrylate
Germ cell mutagenicity, category 2 (Muta. 2); Reproductive toxicity, category 1B (Repr. 1B)
- Hazard classes
- Flammable liquid, category 3 (Flam. Liq. 3)
Germ cell mutagenicity, category 2 (Muta. 2)
Reproductive toxicity, category 1B (Repr. 1B)
Acute toxicity, category 3 (Acute Tox. 3)
Acute toxicity, category 4 (Acute Tox. 4)
Skin corrosion, category 1C (Skin Corr. 1C)
Serious eye damage, category 1 (Eye Dam. 1)
Skin sensitisation, category 1 (Skin Sens. 1) - Hazard statements
- H226 H341 H360FD H331 H302 H314 H318 H317
Annex VI, entry 607-744-00-0, linked by CAS 3121-61-7. Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP), consolidated version, Annex VI table 3, retrieved 21 October 2026.
Entry introduced or replaced by Regulation (EU) 2020/1182, applicable at the latest from 1 March 2022.
Elsewhere in the world
Information on other jurisdictions, with no effect on sale in France. What is covered, and what is not yet.
Comparison between countries
Most restrictive status in each country, and the maximum concentration cited. The details and the source of each rule follow.
| Country | Rule | Maximum concentration cited |
|---|---|---|
| European Union | Prohibited in cosmetics | not cited |
| United Kingdom | Prohibited in cosmetics | not cited |
| Switzerland | EU Regulation applies | not cited |
| United States (federal) | No federal rule recorded | not cited |
| Japan | No entry in the lists recorded | not cited |
| South Korea | No entry in the lists recorded | not cited |
| China | Not on the prohibited lists recorded (lists of allowed substances are not recorded) | not cited |
| Australia | No entry in the lists recorded | not cited |
| Brazil | No entry in the lists recorded | not cited |
United Kingdom (Great Britain)
- Prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II)
Same entries as in the European Union. Their maximum concentrations are compared in the “Comparison between countries” table; other conditions (product types, warnings) may differ.
Annexes II to VI in force. United Kingdom, Annexes II to VI of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 as retained and amended, retrieved 21 October 2026.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Northern Ireland applies EU law.
Switzerland
Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 applies in Switzerland (Article 54 of the Ordinance on Foodstuffs and Utility Articles).
Switzerland, FDHA Ordinance on Cosmetic Products (OCos, SR 817.023.31), consolidated version, retrieved 22 October 2026.
United States, federal rules
None of the integrated sections of the federal code (21 CFR 700.11 to 700.27 and 250.250) targets this name. The FDA does not publish a list of allowed ingredients.
United States, 21 CFR part 700 and section 250.250 (FDA rules on cosmetic ingredients), eCFR, retrieved 21 October 2026.
The eCFR is not an official legal edition of the Code of Federal Regulations.
Glossary: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1175. Page updated on 21 October 2026.