Vegetable Oil

Safety Information

United States (U.S.)

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) includes oils derived from vegetables on its list of indirect food additives. It is permitted for use as a component of adhesives having incidental contact with food.

Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety

The safety of vegetable oil and hydrogenated vegetable oil has been assessed by the Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety. The Expert Panel evaluated scientific data and concluded that these ingredients were safe for use as ingredients in cosmetics and personal care products.

Vegetable oil and hydrogenated vegetable oil were included in the Expert Panel’s review of plant-derived fatty acids oils. Based on a history of safe use in food, the composition of the oils, and data indicating these ingredients were not dermal irritants or sensitizers, the Expert Panel concluded that plant-derived fatty acid oils including vegetable oil and hydrogenated vegetable oil were safe as used in cosmetic products.

European Union (EU)

Vegetable oil and hydrogenated vegetable oil may be used in cosmetics and personal care products marketed in Europe according to the general provisions of the Cosmetics Regulation of the European Union.

Resources

Food Ingredients and Packaging

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Food Contact Substances

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Substances Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS)

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Search the Code of Federal Regulations

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EU Cosmetics Inventory

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Vegetable Oil

What Is It?

Vegetable oil is an expressed oil of vegetable origin consisting primarily of triglycerides of fatty acids. The addition of hydrogen atoms to vegetable oil results in hydrogenated vegetable oil.

In cosmetics and personal care products, vegetable oil and hydrogenated vegetable oil are used in the formulation of bath products, cleansing products, eye makeup, fragrances, foot powders, facial makeup, personal cleanliness products, suntan products, and other skin products.

Why Is It Used?

Vegetable oil and hydrogenated vegetable oil slow the loss of water from the skin by forming a barrier on the skin’s surface. Vegetable oil may also be used as a hair conditioning agent, and hydrogenated vegetable oil may also be used to increase the thickness of the lipid (oil) portion of cosmetics and personal care products.

Scientific Facts

Hydrogenated vegetable oil is produced by the addition of hydrogen (H2) to vegetable oil. Hydrogenation results in the conversion of liquid vegetable oils to solid or semi-solid fats, such as those present in margarine.

Hydrogenated vegetable oil is the end product of controlled hydrogenation of vegetable oil.

In cosmetics and personal care products, vegetable oil and hydrogenated vegetable oil function as a skin conditioning agent – occlusive.

Vegetable oil may also be used as a hair conditioning agent, and hydrogenated vegetable oil may also be used as a viscosity increasing agent – nonaqueous.