Ingredient
Acrylonitrile
Acrylonitrile is flagged for pregnancy, breastfeeding, postpartum, trying to conceive, PCOS and general use. The concern behind the strongest flag is known teratogen and fetal development.
- Vinyl Cyanide
- Cyanoethylene
- Propenenitrile
Verdict by profile
Truva checks every ingredient against six profiles. Jump to any of them for the full assessment.
- Strongest verdict
- Not Recommended
- Its verdict for pregnancy, the profile this one is worst in
- Profiles flagged
- 6 of 6
- Counting avoid, high risk and medium risk
- Irritancy
- 5 of 5
- Higher means more likely to sting or redden
Acrylonitrile and pregnancy
Not Recommended
- Known teratogen
- Fetal development
- Absorbed into the body
- Carcinogen concern
Acrylonitrile is a highly toxic industrial chemical that should never appear as an ingredient in cosmetic products. It's used in manufacturing plastics and synthetic fibers, not in finished consumer products. Its presence in a cosmetic indicates serious contamination or manufacturing error. According to the EPA and ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry), acrylonitrile is a known developmental toxicant. Animal studies show it can cause fetal malformations, reduced birth weight, and developmental delays. It's readily absorbed through skin and by inhalation, reaching the bloodstream and potentially crossing the placental barrier. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies it as a probable human carcinogen. The EU explicitly prohibits acrylonitrile in cosmetic products under Annex II of the Cosmetics Regulation. ACOG and toxicology experts strongly advise avoiding all exposure during pregnancy. If you encounter a product listing this ingredient, do not use it and report it to regulatory authorities (FDA in the US, relevant agency in your country).
Acrylonitrile and breastfeeding
Not Recommended
- Passes into breast milk
- Infant exposure
- Carcinogen concern
Acrylonitrile should never be present in cosmetic products. It's a volatile industrial toxin used in polymer manufacturing. If absorbed, it would readily enter breast milk due to its chemical properties. According to toxicological data, acrylonitrile and its metabolites can pass into breast milk and pose serious health risks to breastfed infants, including potential carcinogenic and neurotoxic effects. The compound is metabolized to toxic substances including cyanide. Any product containing this ingredient should be avoided entirely and reported to health authorities. The presence of acrylonitrile in a cosmetic product represents a serious safety violation.
Acrylonitrile and postpartum
Not Recommended
- Carcinogen concern
- Neurotoxicity concern
- Respiratory toxicity
Acrylonitrile is a prohibited industrial chemical that should never appear in cosmetic products. It's classified as a probable human carcinogen and is toxic through skin contact, inhalation, and ingestion. Do not use any product listing this ingredient. Report such products to the FDA or your country's regulatory authority immediately, as this represents a serious safety hazard.
Acrylonitrile and trying to conceive
Not Recommended
- Known teratogen
- Carcinogen concern
- Systemic toxicity concern
Acrylonitrile is a prohibited industrial chemical with known developmental toxicity. It should never appear in cosmetic products and must be avoided completely when trying to conceive. The presence of this ingredient in a cosmetic product indicates serious contamination or manufacturing error. Report any such product to the FDA or relevant regulatory authority and discontinue use immediately.
Acrylonitrile and PCOS
Not Recommended
- Carcinogen concern
- Systemic toxicity concern
Acrylonitrile is a toxic industrial chemical that is prohibited in cosmetics. It should never be used by anyone, regardless of health conditions. If found in a product, this represents a serious safety violation. The chemical is a probable carcinogen and highly toxic through multiple routes of exposure. Do not use any product containing this ingredient. Report it immediately to regulatory authorities.
Acrylonitrile and general use
Not Recommended
- Carcinogen concern
- Respiratory toxicity
- Neurotoxicity concern
- Irritant
Acrylonitrile is a volatile, toxic industrial chemical used in manufacturing plastics, synthetic rubber, and acrylic fibers. It is NOT approved for use as a cosmetic ingredient and should never appear in consumer skincare or beauty products. This chemical is classified as a probable human carcinogen (IARC Group 2B) and is highly toxic. According to the EPA and OSHA, exposure causes severe irritation to skin, eyes, and respiratory system, as well as central nervous system effects. Long-term exposure is linked to increased cancer risk, liver and kidney damage, and neurological problems. Even brief skin contact can cause burns and systemic toxicity. The EU explicitly bans acrylonitrile from cosmetic products (Annex II, EU Cosmetics Regulation). If you encounter a product listing this as an ingredient, do not use it. This indicates either dangerous contamination or a counterfeit/illegal product. Report it immediately to the FDA (in the US) or your country's cosmetic safety authority. Legitimate cosmetic products will never contain this ingredient.
Everything else flagged for the same profiles
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Ingredients that raise the same concerns.
Where this came from
Truva summarises published guidance from bodies including ACOG, the FDA, the EU SCCS and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review. It has no access to your medical history and it is not a substitute for your doctor, dermatologist or midwife. These assessments have not been reviewed by a clinician, and nothing here is a diagnosis or a prescription. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or being treated for PCOS, take the ingredient list to the person looking after you.
Assessment last pulled from the ingredient database on .
One ingredient is the easy case.
A label has thirty of them. Truva reads the whole list at once and answers for the profile you set: pregnancy, breastfeeding, postpartum, trying to conceive, PCOS, or general use.
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