IHL · Vitamins & actives
Inositol
- INCI name
- Inositol
- CAS number
- 87-89-8
- EC number
- 201-781-2
- Physical form
- Powder
- Country of origin
- China · USA
- HS code
- 2906.13
- Grade
- Cosmetic / Food grade
- Shelf life
- 24 months
INCI note
Myo-inositol is the cosmetically relevant stereoisomer.
Not carried by a single cosmetic-channel supplier in the US market. If you formulate with inositol today, you are buying it from a supplement company.
| Appearance | White crystalline powder |
|---|---|
| Odour | Odorless |
| Solubility | Water-soluble; oil-insoluble |
| Melting point | ~225–227 °C |
| pH | ~5–7 (5% aqueous) |
| HLB | n/a |
| Storage | Cool, dry, sealed |
| Manufacturing process | Extraction from corn steep liquor or hydrolysis of rice bran phytate; fermentation routes also exist. |
Certifications
- CIR assessed
- Gluten-free
- Palm-free
- Vegan
In full: Vegan · Gluten-free · Palm-free · Non-GMO available · CIR assessed
| Application | Use rate |
|---|---|
| Hair conditioning | 0.1–2% |
| Skin conditioning | 0.1–2% |
Formulation notes
- Corn-derived or rice-derived depending on the manufacturing route, and suppliers rarely disclose which. If it is rice-derived, the arsenic question that applies to our rice materials applies here too. We ask, we test, and we tell you.
- CIR published a final safety assessment in 2024, which is unusually good documentation for a material this obscure in the cosmetic channel.
- Freely water-soluble and pH-neutral. It is one of the easiest actives in this catalog to work into an existing formula.
Applications
- Hair conditioner
- Scalp treatment
- Serum
- Powder masks
- Supplement blending
Not classified as hazardous
Not classified as hazardous under 29 CFR 1910.1200 (HazCom 2012, as amended 2024). Determination to be confirmed against the incoming lot's manufacturer SDS before publication.
- Transport classification
- Not regulated for transport — DOT, IATA, IMDG.
- Allergen statement
- No FDA major food allergen. Feedstock is corn or rice depending on route — if rice-derived, our arsenic testing protocol applies. We state the feedstock on every COA because no one else does.
California Proposition 65
No listed constituent identified. Note the feedstock question below.
- SDS Safety Data Sheet On request
- TDS Technical Data Sheet On request
- COA Certificate of Analysis On request
- Allergen Allergen statement On request
- GMO GMO statement On request
- BSE/TSE BSE/TSE statement On request
- Vegan Vegan statement On request
- RSPO RSPO certificate On request
We send documents on request. No account, no vendor-qualification fee. Ask for Inositol documents.