Is RETINAL safe in cosmetics?
RETINAL has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Good
Cosmetic Ingredient
RETINAL
Also known as: trans-Retinal, Vitamin A aldehyde, 4-07-00-01253, BRN 1914183, EINECS 204-135-8 (+12 more)
RETINAL (CAS 116-31-4) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Keratinocyte turnover accelerator; melanin dispersal agent; retinoid receptor. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 116-31-4 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
Keratinocyte turnover accelerator; melanin dispersal agent; retinoid receptor activator via retinoic acid conversion; anti-aging
Safety Rating
GOOD
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Permitted in cosmetics without concentration limits. No specific FDA restrictions apply. Not evaluated as a sunscreen active and not approved as an OTC active ingredient. No dedicated CIR safety assessment has been conducted; CIR has assessed retinol and retinyl palmitate but not retinaldehyde.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for RETINAL.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Endocrine Disruptor Evidence (Expanded)
Cross-referenced EDC classifications, mechanism data, and dose-response evidence from EDLists, SIN List, and cosmetic-specific detail sources.
Cosmetic-Specific Mechanism
Category: other
Receptor targets: RAR, RXR
LOEC: 100 nM
EU status: restricted (max 0.05% face leave-on; EU 2024/996)
agonist (RAR/RXR via retinol conversion)
Expanded Jurisdictional Detail
Additional regulatory detail beyond the 7-jurisdiction summary: Saudi SFDA, Korea MFDS, ASEAN ACD, Japan/Korea, Brazil/India, and cross-jurisdictional restriction entries.
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (1)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| GCC | banned | - | All cosmetics |
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Softener and conditioner
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for RETINAL.
Regulatory Flags
eu-unrestricted
sccs-excluded
no-mos-calculated
reproductive-toxicant-1b
no-cir-assessment
Known Synonyms
trans-Retinal
Vitamin A aldehyde
4-07-00-01253
BRN 1914183
EINECS 204-135-8
NSC 122757
Retinyl aldehyde
TOCOPHEROL, ALPHA
NSC 626581
UNII-RR725D715M
Retinal, all-trans
3,7-Dimethyl-9-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexen-1-yl)-2,4,6,8-Nonatetraenal
All-epsilon-Retinal
Retinene 1
all-trans-retinaldehyde
alpha-Retinene
epsilon-Retinal
Chemical Function
Softener and conditioner
Frequently Asked Questions
Is RETINAL allowed in the EU?
RETINAL EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does RETINAL do in cosmetics?
RETINAL functions as: Keratinocyte turnover accelerator; melanin dispersal agent; retinoid receptor activator via retinoic acid conversion; anti-aging. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 116-31-4.
Compliance Tools
Check RETINAL 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
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