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Score:
Data available:
 
Fair

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CASTOR OIL


image source: PubChem
Health Concerns of the Ingredient:
Overall Hazard
 
 
Cancer
 
 
Developmental &
reproductive toxicity
 
 
Allergies & immunotoxicity
 
 
Use restrictions
 
 
Other HIGH concerns: Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs); Other LOW concerns: Enhanced skin absorption, Data gaps, Ecotoxicology

About CASTOR OIL: Castor Oil is extracted from the seeds of Ricinus communis, a castor oil plant.

Function(s): Fragrance Ingredient; Skin-Conditioning Agent - Occlusive; EMOLLIENT; MASKING; MOISTURISING; SKIN CONDITIONING; SMOOTHING; SOLVENT

Synoym(s): RICINUS COMMUNIS (CASTOR) SEED OIL, CASTER OIL; CASTOR OIL (RICINUS COMMUNIS L.) ; CASTOR OIL; VEGETABLE OIL; CASTOR SEED OIL; RICINUS COMMUNIS OIL; RICINUS COMMUNIS (CASTOR) ; AROMATIC CASTOR OIL; CASTOR OIL AROMATIC; COSMETOL; CRYSTAL O; GOLD BOND

Developmental/reproductive toxicity

Concern Reference
Limited evidence of reproductive toxicityCIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review)

Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)

Concern Reference
Human irritant - strong evidence (only for products for use around the eyes, on the skin, or may be aerosolized (airborne))Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments

Ecotoxicology

Concern Reference
Uncertain environmental toxin and uncertain persistent or bioaccumulativeEnvironment Canada Domestic Substance List

Enhanced skin absorption

Concern Reference
Penetration enhancerCosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments

Multiple, additive exposure sources

Concern Reference
Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in foodFDA Food Additive Status
Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in foodFDA Everything Added to Food

Persistence and bioaccumulation

Concern Reference
Not suspected to be persistentEnvironment Canada Domestic Substance List
Not suspected to be bioaccumulativeEnvironment Canada Domestic Substance List

Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

Concern Reference
Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmfulEnvironment Canada Domestic Substance List
Classified as a low human health priorityEnvironment Canada Domestic Substance List

Data gaps

Concern Reference
Risk assessment method deficiencies and data gaps - Maximum reported "as used" concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in productCosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments
Safety assessment was based on related chemicalCosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments
1,523 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical see search results ->NLM PubMed

Data Sources

CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC.
CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2007. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC.
EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) 2006. Food Additive Status List. Downloaded from http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/%7Edms/opa-appa.html, Oct 16, 2006.
FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
IFRA (International Fragrance Assocication). 2010. IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List based on 2008 Use Survey. Accessed online 01/04/2010: http://www.ifraorg.org/Home/News/Latest-News/page.aspx/66?xf_itemId=43&xf_selectionDatapartId=25
NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov.

About the ratings

EWG provides information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature, to supplement incomplete data available from companies and the government. The ratings below indicate the relative level of concern posed by exposure to the ingredients in this product - not the product itself - compared to other product formulations. The ratings reflect potential health hazards but do not account for the level of exposure or individual susceptibility, factors which determine actual health risks, if any. Learn more | Legal Disclaimer