Is Retinyl Propionate safe in cosmetics?
Retinyl Propionate has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: restricted. US status: permitted.
GOOD
Active Ingredient
Retinyl Propionate
INCI: RETINYL PROPIONATE
Retinyl Propionate (CAS 7069-42-3) is a cosmetic active ingredient functioning as Skin-conditioning agent; retinol ester pro-vitamin A active; promotes collagen. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted, max 0.3% RE for leave-on and rinse-off face products; 0.05% RE for body lotions (Regulation EU 2024/996). Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database.
Function
Skin-conditioning agent; retinol ester pro-vitamin A active; promotes collagen synthesis and cell turnover via retinol/retinoic acid conversion pathway
Editorial assessment
GOOD
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
[(2E,4E,6E,8E)-3,7-dimethyl-9-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohexen-1-yl)nona-2,4,6,8-tetraenyl] propanoate
InChIKey
SFRPDSKECHTFQA-ONOWFSFQSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
restricted
EU Max Conc.
0.3% RE for leave-on and rinse-off face products; 0.05% RE for body lotions (Regulation EU 2024/996)
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
No FDA concentration limits for topical cosmetic use. Classified as cosmetic ingredient when no drug claims made. No dedicated CIR safety report identified. Clinical data showing superior wrinkle reduction vs tretinoin with niacinamide combination and markedly better tolerability noted in 2025 evidence. No mandatory pregnancy labelling under US law, though retinoid class teratogenicity considerations apply to professional guidance.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Retinyl Propionate.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
1 - 10 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Softener and conditioner
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Retinyl Propionate — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
retinoid
retinol-ester
eu-restricted
pregnancy-warning
pm-only
teratogen-risk
niacinamide-synergy
superior-tolerability-vs-tretinoin
emerging-clinical-data
encapsulation-recommended
Chemical Function
Softener and conditioner
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Retinyl Propionate allowed in the EU?
Retinyl Propionate EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: 0.3% RE for leave-on and rinse-off face products; 0.05% RE for body lotions (Regulation EU 2024/996). This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Retinyl Propionate do in cosmetics?
Retinyl Propionate functions as: Skin-conditioning agent; retinol ester pro-vitamin A active; promotes collagen synthesis and cell turnover via retinol/retinoic acid conversion pathway. It is classified as a Active Ingredient in our database. CAS number: 7069-42-3.
Compliance Tools
Check Retinyl Propionate compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
Check compliance across multiple jurisdictions
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
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