Ethyl Acetate

What Is It?

Ethyl Acetate and Butyl Acetate are clear liquids with a fruity odors. In cosmetics and personal care products, Ethyl Acetate and Butyl Acetate are used in the formulation of nail polish, nail polish removers, basecoats, and other manicuring products.

Why Is It Used?

Ethyl Acetate and Butyl Acetate are primarily used as solvents in nail care products.

Scientific Facts

Ethyl Acetate and Butyl Acetate are used to dissolve other substances including nitrocellulose, the basic film-forming material in nail polish. Butyl acetate is found in many types of fruit, where along with other chemicals it imparts characteristic flavors. Apples, especially of the red delicious variety are flavored in part by this chemical.

Safety Information

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) includes Ethyl Acetate on its list of substances considered Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) for use as a synthetic flavoring substance and adjuvant. It is also permitted to be used as a secondary food additive as a solvent, lubricant or release agent. FDA allows Butyl Acetate to be added to food as a synthetic flavoring substance and adjuvant. The safety of Ethyl Acetate and Butyl Acetate has been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel. The CIR Expert Panel evaluated the scientific data and concluded that Ethyl Acetate and Butyl Acetate were safe as cosmetic ingredients in the present practices of use and concentration. In 2006, as part of the scheduled re-evaluation of ingredients, the CIR Expert Panel considered available new data on Ethyl Acetate and Butyl Acetate and reaffirmed the above conclusion.

CIR Review: Doses of Ethyl Acetate and Butyl Acetate much larger than those resulting from normal use of nail products containing these ingredients were needed to result in effects following oral, dermal or inhalation exposure. Ethyl Acetate and Butyl Acetate were nonmutagenic when tested in bacteria, yeast and mammalian cells. Butyl Acetate did not cause developmental effects when inhaled. Ethyl Acetate and Butyl Acetate were mild skin irritants but not sensitizers to humans. Ethyl Acetate was neither phototoxic or photoallergenic in human tests.

FDA: Link to Code of Federal Regulations for Ethyl Acetate

FDA: Code of Federal Regulations for Butyl Acetate

Ethyl Acetate and Butyl Acetate may be used in cosmetics and personal care products marketed in Europe according to the general provisions of the Cosmetics Directive of the European Union

The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives has established an Acceptable Daily Intake for Ethyl Acetate of 0-25 mg/kg body weight.

For Butyl Acetate the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives concluded that there was no safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.

More Scientific Information

Ethyl Acetate is the ester of ethyl alcohol and acetic acid, and Butyl Aceate is the ester of n-butyl alcohol and acetic acid. Both ingredients are organic compounds with characteristic fruity odors.

Resources

Find out more about the regulation of Food Additives by the Food and Drug Administration