This colorless liquid has a characteristic sweet smell (similar to pear drops) and is used in glues, nail polish removers, and in the decaffeination process of tea and coffee. Ethyl acetate is the ester of ethanol and acetic acid; it is manufactured on a large scale for use as a solvent.    According to the CDC, Ethyl Acetate is only dangerous to the respiratory system in high exposures and can be irritating to skin when applied directly. As an ingredient in skin products, Ethyl Acetate has no major side effects and comes with no serious warnings