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Docosanol

CAS 30303-65-2 · 0/100 · High conf.

Also registered as 1 other CAS number

661-19-8

Docosanol chemical structure

Concern score

0/100Low concern — well-established and permitted without restriction (CIR safe as used; EU CosIng).
High confidence

Docosanol in plain language

What it is

On cosmetic ingredient lists it appears as “Behenyl alcohol”.

Also known as Behenyl alcohol · N-Docosanol · 1-Docosanol · Behenic alcohol · Docosan-1-ol · Abreva

Show all 18 names

Behenyl 80 Alcohol · Cold Sore Fever Blister · Cold Sore Treatment · Docosyl alcohol · Hainol 22 S · Julie Cold Sore Treatment · Lanette 22 · Lidakol · Lidavol · Stenol 1822 · Stenol 1822A · docosane-1-ol

What it does

Used in cosmetics as an emollient, a binder and an emulsion stabiliser.

  • Emollient
  • Binding
  • Emulsion stabilising
  • Viscosity controlling
  • Emulsifier
  • Thickener
Is it a concern?
Low concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is listed for cosmetic use in the EU.

Why it's flagged

EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 2102 composition records across product categories including Raw materials, Personal care, Batteries.

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

No restrictions found. Docosanol appears in these published regulatory listings.

  • In marketed US drugs
  • Inactive ingredient in US drugs

Recorded in these product areas

  • Found in consumer products
  • Beauty
  • Cleaning
  • Pharma
  • Food
  • Industrial
  • USFDAinactive ingredient database2 entries
    • Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: AEROSOL, FOAM; Potency: 1.1 %w/wSource →
    • Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: SOLUTION; Potency: 1.1 %w/wSource →
  • EUCosIngActiveListed in CosIng inventory for cosmetic use.
    • Listed in CosIng inventory for cosmetic use.Source →
  • USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 2102 composition records across product categories including Raw materials, Personal care, Batteries. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Softener and conditioner, Viscosity modifier, Emulsifier.
    • EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 2102 composition records across product categories including Raw materials, Personal care, Batteries. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Softener and conditioner, Viscosity modifier, Emulsifier.Source →
  • USFDAmarketed drug occurrenceFDA NDC lists this ingredient in 54 active drug products and 73 total products.
    • FDA NDC lists this ingredient in 54 active drug products and 73 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 Docosanol. 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 Docosanol yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.

8 data sources

Where this comes from

  • CosIng

    regulatory · updated 2026-09-23

    Open →

  • EPA Chemical and Products Database

    exposure · updated october 24, 2019

    Open →

  • EPA DSSTox Identifiers

    chemistry · updated 2025-12-29

    Open →

  • FDA Inactive Ingredient Database

    regulatory · updated 2026-01-09

    Open →

  • FDA National Drug Code Directory

    regulatory · updated 2028-06-30

    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

    Open →
Reference links (1)
Openfda substance

environmentalchemistry.com

Read →

Suitability

Context-specific fit derived from published classifications and the current ingredient evidence profile.

Food use

Food-use source coverage is present in the current record.

Good fit

The ingredient appears in food-oriented source coverage or allowed-use references, which makes food use easier to support than a context with no domain signal at all.

Fragrance avoidance

Not a strong fit for fragrance avoidance because it carries Fragrance.

Avoid

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 Docosanol in a product composition. These are source records, not Greenveil catalog products.

Source records

2,102

Named organisations

6

Raw materialsPersonal careBatteriesFood and drug

Typical roles

EmollientBindingEmulsion stabilisingViscosity controllingEmulsifierThickener
See products using Docosanol →

Catalog

Found in these products

Their ingredient lists include Docosanol; each product's own rating depends on its whole formula, so it is shown on the product page, not here.

See all 347 →Find products without it →

Co-occurrence

Often appears with

Ingredients that frequently appear alongside Docosanol in the catalog.