METHYL CHLORIDE

📋 Quick facts

Description: METHYL CHLORIDE — METHYL CHLORIDE. Formula: CH3Cl. MW: 50.49. IUPAC: chloromethane.

Quick Facts:

• Category: other
• Also Known As: Methyl chloride
• Regulatory Note: Restricted in the US

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• Methyl chloride is an industrial chemical, not a skincare ingredient
• It can be absorbed through skin at high concentrations
• It is a central nervous system depressant
• Exposure symptoms include headache, drowsiness, and neurological effects
• No skincare benefits are supported by available research

⚗️ Chemical Overview

Chloromethane is also known as methyl chloride. It is a clear, colorless gas. It has a faint, sweet odor that is noticeable only at levels that may be toxic. It is heavier than air, and it is extremely flammable. Methyl Chloride can cause developmental toxicity according to The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). It can cause male reproductive toxicity according to The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Methyl chloride appears as a colorless gas with a faint sweet odor. Shipped as a liquid under its vapor pressure. A leak may either be liquid or vapor. Contact with the liquid may cause frostbite by evaporative cooling. Easily ignited. Vapors heavier than air. Can asphyxiate by the displacement of air. Under prolonged exposure to fire or intense heat the containers may rupture violently and rocket. Used to make other chemicals and as a herbicide.

Source(s): Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), CAMEO Chemicals, via PubChem

📊 Comedogenicity

🛡️ Safety rating

Safety tier is a starting heuristic from regulatory status and comedogenic rating, not a dermatological verdict — see our Terms for the full disclaimer. Research confidence reflects how many real cited studies back this ingredient, not the strength of their findings.

🤰 Pregnancy Safety Note

Listed in California Safe Cosmetics Program as carcinogen or reproductive toxicant

🌍 Regulatory Status