- beauty
- cleaning
- industrial
- pharma
Oxalic acid
CAS 63504-28-9 · 70/100 · High conf.
Also registered as 4 other CAS numbers
97993-78-7 · 216451-38-6 · 2469072-60-2 · 144-62-7
Concern score
70/100High concern based on regulatory listings.
High confidence
Oxalic acid in plain language
On cosmetic ingredient lists it appears as “Dibutyl oxalate”.
Also known as Dibutyl oxalate · Diethyl oxalate · Diisobutyl oxalate · Diisopropyl oxalate · Dilithium oxalate · Dimethyl oxalate
Show all 34 names
Dipotassium oxalate · Dipropyl oxalate · Sodium oxalate · Oxaliplatin related compound a · Oxalic acid, its esters and alkaline salts · Acide oxalique · Acido ossalico · Acidum oxalicum · Aktisal · Aquisal · Deerclean · Ethane-1,2-dioic acid · Ethanedioic acid · Ethanedionic acid · Kyselina stavelova · Mesh id: D019815 · NCI-C55209 · Oxaalzuur · anhydrous Oxalic acid · Oxalsaeure · Oxiric acid · Ultraplast activate s 52 · acido oxalico · hydron;oxalate · organic acid · oxalate · oxalic acid (ethanediol acid) · oxalic acid .005 mol (fixanal)
Used in cosmetics as a chelating agent.
- Chelating
- Chelating agent
- pH adjuster
- Fragrance
- Cleaning agent
- High concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is restricted in EU cosmetics.
Why it's flagged
Oxalic acid, its esters and alkaline salts is restricted in cosmetic products under Annex III of the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009.
RestrictedEU EC — restricted
The score describes this ingredient's chemical identity — its hazard profile from published classifications and regulatory status — not the safety of any product it appears in.
Regulation
Restrictions first, then routine listings from published regulatory sources.
- In marketed US drugs
- EU Annex III — restricted
- EU restricted in cosmetics
- Found in consumer products
- Beauty
- Cleaning
- Industrial
- View source →restricted
EUEC
Annex III of EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009: substances which cosmetic products must not contain except subject to the restrictions laid down. Product types: Hair products Maximum concentration: 5% Other conditions: Professional use Conditions of use and warnings: For professional use only
USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 210 composition records across product categories including Furniture and furnishings, Vehicle, Cleaning products and household care. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Chelating agent, rust remover, pH regulating agent.
- EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 210 composition records across product categories including Furniture and furnishings, Vehicle, Cleaning products and household care. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Chelating agent, rust remover, pH regulating agent.Source →
USFDAmarketed drug occurrenceFDA NDC lists this ingredient in 6 active drug products and 9 total products.
- FDA NDC lists this ingredient in 6 active drug products and 9 total products.Source →
USFDAlisted in openFDA substanceopenFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.
- openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.Source →
Expert safety opinions
No expert opinion on file for Oxalic acid. These are the independent scientific bodies that assess ingredients like this one; we show an opinion only when a record we hold cites it.
SCCS
EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety
No SCCS opinion on file.
CIR
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (US expert panel)
No CIR safety assessment on file.
Evidence & sources
No graded research studies for Oxalic acid yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.
Where this comes from
- Open →
CosIng
regulatory · updated 2026-09-23
- Open →
EU CosIng Cosmetics Regulation Annexes
regulatory · updated 2010-10-17
- Open →
EPA Chemical and Products Database
exposure · updated July 2013
- Open →
EPA DSSTox Identifiers
chemistry · updated 2025-12-29
- Open →
FDA National Drug Code Directory
regulatory · updated 2028-07-26
- Open →
FDA GSRS UNII
registry · updated 2026-02-26
- Open →
openFDA Substance
registry · updated 2026-05-24
- Open →
PubChem Live Enrichment
chemistry · updated 2026-05-17
Reference links (1)
Suitability
Context-specific fit derived from published classifications and the current ingredient evidence profile.
Fragrance avoidance
Not a strong fit for fragrance avoidance because it carries Fragrance.
The ingredient itself is a fragrance-linked signal, so it is better treated as an avoid case when fragrance exposure is the main concern.
Where it has been recorded
How often EPA CPDat has listed Oxalic acid in a product composition. These are source records, not Greenveil catalog products.
Source records
210
Named organisations
6
Furniture and furnishingsVehicleCleaning products and household careLaboratory suppliesCleaning and safetyPersonal care
Typical roles
ChelatingChelating agentpH adjusterFragranceCleaning agent