Good Active Ingredient NOAEL Data Dermal Penetration

Retinyl Palmitate

INCI: RETINYL PALMITATE

CAS Number
79-81-2
Function
skin-conditioning, antioxidant
Safety Rating
GOOD

Regulatory Status

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ EU Status restricted
EU Max Conc. 0.3%
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ US Status permitted
US Notes Safe at use levels; least potent retinoid; primarily antioxidant role

For full compliance data across 55 jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
not established
Dermal Absorption
low
Sensitization
none

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Toxicological Studies

10 study endpoints found for Retinyl Palmitate. NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) values are used to calculate the Margin of Safety per SCCS methodology.

Endpoint Value Route Species Study Type Source
NOAEL 138 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Special Toxicology Study COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 28 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Chronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 14 mg/kg bw/day oral dog Chronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 220 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Short Term Toxicity COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 1100 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Short Term Toxicity COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 138 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Short Term Toxicity COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 30 mg/kg bw/day oral cat Chronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 1.2 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Chronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 138 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Developmental COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 138 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Developmental COSMOS_DB

Dermal Penetration Profile

Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of Retinyl Palmitate, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.

Absorption %
1-3%
Penetration Level
stratum-corneum
Penetration Depth
stratum corneum
Molecular Weight
524.9 Da
Log P
13.5
Systemic Absorption
minimal
Topical Bioavailability
0.5-2%
Safety Margin Factor
variable
Vehicle Dependent
Yes โ€” absorption varies by formulation

Source: SCCS/1378/10

Expert Verdict

Least potent retinoid ester requiring three-step conversion to retinoic acid, with primary cosmetic value as antioxidant and emollient rather than anti-aging signaling molecule; good tolerability profile.

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Concern Level: Low

Regulatory Flags

pregnancy-caution eu-restricted low-potency fda_food_additive

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Retinyl Palmitate safe in cosmetics?

Least potent retinoid ester requiring three-step conversion to retinoic acid, with primary cosmetic value as antioxidant and emollient rather than anti-aging signaling molecule; good tolerability profile. The EU classifies Retinyl Palmitate as "restricted". Safety rating: GOOD. 10 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.

Is Retinyl Palmitate allowed in the EU?

Retinyl Palmitate EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: 0.3%. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Retinyl Palmitate do in cosmetics?

Retinyl Palmitate functions as: skin-conditioning, antioxidant. It is classified as a Active Ingredient in our database. CAS number: 79-81-2.

What is the Margin of Safety for Retinyl Palmitate?

not established The Margin of Safety (MoS) is calculated using SCCS methodology. A MoS above 100 is generally considered safe. Use the MoS Calculator tool to calculate MoS for your specific formulation and product category.

What is the NOAEL for Retinyl Palmitate?

The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Retinyl Palmitate is 138 mg/kg bw/day based on a Special Toxicology Study study via oral route in rat. A total of 10 study endpoints are available. Source: COSMOS_DB.

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