Is Tazarotene safe in cosmetics?
Tazarotene has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: restricted. US status: restricted.
MODERATE
Active Ingredient
Tazarotene
Also known as: Tazorac, UNII-81BDR9Y8PS
INCI: TAZAROTENE
Tazarotene (CAS 118292-40-3) is a cosmetic active ingredient functioning as skin-conditioning, anti-aging. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted, max Prescription only. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in pharmaceutical data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 118292-40-3 →
Function
skin-conditioning, anti-aging
Editorial assessment
MODERATE
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
restricted
EU Max Conc.
Prescription only
US US Status
restricted
US Notes
Rx; 0.05-0.1%; most potent topical retinoid; highest irritation risk
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Tazarotene.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Softener and conditioner
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Tazarotene — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
rx-only
teratogen
high-irritation
rar-selective
Known Synonyms
Tazorac
UNII-81BDR9Y8PS
Chemical Function
Softener and conditioner
Regulatory Lists
Canada; consumer_product; Substances in Products - Canada (4/2014)
pharmaceutical
Canada; pharmaceutical
Canada; pharmaceutical
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Compound
TAZAROTENE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL1657
Max Phase
4
Adverse Event Associations
133
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tazarotene allowed in the EU?
Tazarotene EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: Prescription only. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Tazarotene do in cosmetics?
Tazarotene functions as: skin-conditioning, anti-aging. It is classified as a Active Ingredient in our database. CAS number: 118292-40-3.
Is Tazarotene used outside cosmetics?
Tazarotene also appears in pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check Tazarotene compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
Paste a full ingredient list for instant analysis
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
Compare limits across jurisdictions
Related Ingredients
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
EXCELLENT
Same category
Anti-edema peptide for periorbital ar...
Activated Charcoal
EXCELLENT
Same category
Adsorbent; skin cleanser; pore-cleans...
Adenosine
EXCELLENT
Same category
Skin-conditioning agent, anti-aging, ...
Allantoin
EXCELLENT
Same category
Skin conditioner, keratolytic, anti-i...
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
EXCELLENT
Same category
prebiotic, skin-conditioning
Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract
EXCELLENT
Same category
Skin Brightening, Tyrosinase Inhibito...
(20S)-Protopanaxadiol
MODERATE
Similar safety
(Cnidium Officinale/Coptis Chinensis/Glycyrrhiza Uralensis) Root Extract
MODERATE
Similar safety
Skin conditioning
(Cryptomeria Japonica/Chamaecyparis Obtusa) Stem Ferment Extract
MODERATE
Similar safety
Antimicrobial, antioxidant, humectant
(Eclipta Prostrata/Houttuynia Cordata) Leaf Extract
MODERATE
Similar safety
Skin conditioning
(Lepidium Meyenii/Sarcodon Aspratus) Root Water
MODERATE
Similar safety
Skin conditioning
(Licorice/Reynoutria Japonica) Root/Stem Extract
MODERATE
Similar safety
Skin conditioning, antioxidant
Tazarotene & Tazarotenic Acid Report
GOOD
Chemical family
active ingredient
TBHQ
GOOD
Browse nearby
Antioxidant, Fragrance, Perfuming
TBHQ (tert-Butylhydroquinone)
GOOD
Browse nearby
Antioxidant, Masking, Perfuming
Is Tazarotene in Your Products?
Scan any product label with Piro — our free ingredient scanner. Point your camera at the ingredients list and get instant safety scores for every ingredient.
Try Piro Free →Analyze Your Full Ingredient List
Paste any INCI list into the Decoder for instant safety analysis, or calculate the Margin of Safety for Tazarotene in your formulation.