Is Astaxanthin safe in cosmetics?
Astaxanthin has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Astaxanthin
Also known as: (3S,3'S)-3,3'-Dihydroxy-beta,beta-carotene-4,4'-dione, 3,3'-Dihydroxy-beta,beta-carotene-4,4'-dione, (3S,3'S)-, beta,beta-Carotene-4,4'-dione, 3,3'-dihydroxy-, (3S,3'S)-, 3,3'-Dihydroxy-beta-carotene-4,4'-dione, β,β-Carotene-4,4'-dione, 3,3'-dihydroxy-, (3S,3'S)- (+14 more)
INCI: ASTAXANTHIN
Astaxanthin (CAS 472-61-7) is a cosmetic antioxidant functioning as Antioxidant; carotenoid; singlet oxygen quencher (approximately 6,000× more. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. 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 472-61-7 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
Antioxidant; carotenoid; singlet oxygen quencher (approximately 6,000× more potent than vitamin C); free radical scavenger (HAT mechanism); photoprotective; anti-inflammatory; lipophilic skin active
Safety Rating
EXCELLENT
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
No FDA restrictions for topical cosmetic use. GRAS for dietary supplement use. No specific cosmetic concentration limits. Clinical photoprotection evidence from 4 mg/day oral supplementation — topical and oral routes have separate evidence bases.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Astaxanthin.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Dermal Penetration Profile
Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of Astaxanthin, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.
Absorption %
1-3%
Penetration Level
stratum-corneum
Penetration Depth
stratum corneum
Molecular Weight
596.8 Da
Log P
12.5
Systemic Absorption
minimal
Topical Bioavailability
0.5-2%
Safety Margin Factor
low
Vehicle Dependent
Yes — absorption varies by formulation
Source: Mar Drugs 2011
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
1 toxicity value from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAEL | =14 mg/kg-day | Mouse | oral | chronic | EFSA |
Additional Ingredient Properties
10 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
anti_aging
{"anti_aging_claim": "antioxidant-protection, anti-wrinkle", "mechanism_of_action": "Bioactive compound, specialized mechanism", "target_skin_layer": "epidermis, dermis", "collagen_stimulation": "Mild", "elastin_protection": "Moderate", "wrinkle_reduction_pct": "12-22", "clinical_study_duration_weeks": "12", "sample_size": "35", "double_blind": "Yes", "placebo_controlled": "Yes", "published_journa…
anti_pollution
{"cas_number": "472-61-7", "ingredient_class": "blue_light_filter/antioxidant_pollution_shield", "primary_mechanism": "free_radical_scavenging", "pollution_types_targeted": "blue_light_HEV/UV_A/UV_B/PM2_5/ozone/oxidative_stress", "blue_light_absorption_range_nm": "450-500", "blue_light_protection_factor": "Very High", "HEV_screening_efficacy_pct": "90-95", "IR_A_protection": "partial", "visible_li…
antioxidant
{"cas_number": "472-61-7", "antioxidant_class": "carotenoid", "chemical_subclass": "xanthophyll", "molecular_weight_daltons": "596.84", "orac_value_umol_te_per_g": "2822", "dpph_radical_scavenging_ic50_ug_per_ml": "5-12", "abts_trolox_equivalent": "1.5", "singlet_oxygen_quenching": "very high", "superoxide_dismutase_mimetic": "moderate", "hydroxyl_radical_scavenging": "very high", "lipid_peroxidat…
concentration
{"min_concentration_pct": "0.01", "max_concentration_pct": "0.3", "typical_concentration_pct": "0.05", "product_type": "Moisturizer", "function_at_concentration": "Antioxidant", "source": "Clinical literature"}
cost_pricing
{"cost_tier": "luxury", "estimated_cost_per_kg_usd_low": "800", "estimated_cost_per_kg_usd_high": "1500", "natural_premium_markup_pct": "1000", "organic_certified_premium_pct": "1800", "supply_chain_volatility": "high", "primary_source_region": "Hawaii/Chile", "synthetic_vs_natural_cost_ratio": "2.5", "bulk_discount_threshold_kg": "1", "seasonal_price_variation": "high", "commodity_or_specialty": …
depigmentation
{"cas_number": "472-61-7", "ingredient_class": "combined_mechanism", "primary_mechanism_of_action": "Synthetic or isolated bioactive with melanin reduction properties", "secondary_mechanisms": "Variable", "molecular_target": "other", "tyrosinase_inhibition_IC50_uM": "varies", "tyrosinase_inhibition_type": "competitive", "melanin_reduction_pct_in_vitro": "25-45", "melanin_reduction_pct_clinical": "…
dermal_absorption
{"molecular_weight_da": "596.8", "log_p_value": "12.5", "skin_penetration_level": "stratum-corneum", "penetration_depth": "stratum corneum", "absorption_pct": "1-3", "systemic_absorption": "minimal", "penetration_enhancer": "no", "occlusion_effect": "yes", "vehicle_dependent": "yes", "skin_barrier_effect": "strengthens", "bioavailability_topical_pct": "0.5-2", "safety_margin_factor": "low", "sourc…
ph_stability
{"optimal_ph_min": "4.0", "optimal_ph_max": "8.0", "stable_ph_min": "3.5", "stable_ph_max": "9.0", "ph_dependent_function": "Carotenoid antioxidant", "formulation_note": "Lipophilic; light sensitive", "source": "Formulation literature"}
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Dye
Flavouring and nutrient
Softener and conditioner
Regulatory List Membership (1)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Astaxanthin.
Regulatory Flags
antioxidant
carotenoid
singlet-oxygen-quencher
photoprotective
lipophilic
encapsulation-recommended
orange-pigment
anti-pollution
hat-mechanism
anti-aging
oral-evidence-strong
fda_food_additive
Known Synonyms
(3S,3'S)-3,3'-Dihydroxy-beta,beta-carotene-4,4'-dione
3,3'-Dihydroxy-beta,beta-carotene-4,4'-dione, (3S,3'S)-
beta,beta-Carotene-4,4'-dione, 3,3'-dihydroxy-, (3S,3'S)-
3,3'-Dihydroxy-beta-carotene-4,4'-dione
β,β-Carotene-4,4'-dione, 3,3'-dihydroxy-, (3S,3'S)-
β-Carotene-4,4'-dione, 3,3'-dihydroxy-, all-trans-
Astabio AR 1
Astabio AR 5
Astaxanthin, all-trans-, (3S,3'S)-
(3S,3'S)-all-trans-Astaxanthin
(3S,3'S)-Astaxanthin
all-trans-(3S,3'S)-Astaxanthin
all-trans-Astaxanthin
Aquasta
Astacarox
AstaREAL
Astareal ACT
Astared
Astax S
Chemical Function
Softener and conditioner
Dye
Flavouring and nutrient
Regulatory Lists
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
Canada; pharmaceutical
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
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
ASTAXANTHIN
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL1255871
Max Phase
3
Adverse Event Associations
343
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Astaxanthin allowed in the EU?
Astaxanthin EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Astaxanthin do in cosmetics?
Astaxanthin functions as: Antioxidant; carotenoid; singlet oxygen quencher (approximately 6,000× more potent than vitamin C); free radical scavenger (HAT mechanism); photoprotective; anti-inflammatory; lipophilic skin active. It is classified as a Antioxidant in our database. CAS number: 472-61-7.
Is Astaxanthin used outside cosmetics?
Astaxanthin also appears in pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check Astaxanthin 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
Ascorbic Acid
Excellent
Same category
Antioxidant; ROS scavenger; vitamin E...
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
Excellent
Same category
Antioxidant, skin brightening
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Excellent
Same category
Lipophilic antioxidant; ester of asco...
Beta-Carotene Safety Data
Excellent
Same category
Antioxidant
Catalase
Excellent
Same category
Enzymatic antioxidant; preventive ant...
Epicatechin
Excellent
Same category
Antioxidant; green tea catechin; HAT/...
1-Methylhydantoin-2-imide (Creatinine)
Excellent
Similar safety
Skin conditioning (skin brightening/l...
2,6-Dimethyl-7-octen-2-ol (Dihydromyrcenol)
Excellent
Similar safety
Fragrance (perfuming), masking
2-Ethoxy-2,6,6-Trimethyl-9-Methylenebicyclo[3.3.1]Nonane (Boisiris™)
Excellent
Similar safety
Fragrance (rich woody, orris/iris roo...
2-Hydroxypropylcarbamato Amodimethicone
Excellent
Similar safety
Hair conditioning; modified aminosili...
2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Excellent
Similar safety
Softener and conditioner
3 O Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Excellent
Similar safety
Antioxidant; tyrosinase inhibitor; me...
2,6,6-TRIMETHYL-1-CYCLOHEXENE-1-ACETALDEHYDE
Good
Chemical family
Perfuming
2,6,6-Trimethyl-2-cyclohexene-1-acetaldehyde
Good
Chemical family
Fragrance (perfuming)
Betulinic Acid
Good
Chemical family
Skin conditioning; anti-inflammatory ...
Is Astaxanthin 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 Astaxanthin in your formulation.