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 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
skin-conditioning, anti-aging
Safety Rating
MODERATE
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.
Additional Ingredient Properties
5 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
acne
{"cas_number": "118292-40-3", "anti_acne_mechanism": "keratolytic/comedolytic/anti_inflammatory", "comedogenicity_rating_0_to_5": "0", "acne_type_efficacy": "inflammatory/non_inflammatory", "p_acnes_mic_ug_per_ml": "No direct antibacterial", "sebum_reduction_pct_clinical": "10-15", "keratolytic_strength": "strong", "exfoliation_mechanism": "chemical", "optimal_ph_for_efficacy": "5.0-7.0", "peel_de…
anti_aging
{"anti_aging_claim": "anti-wrinkle, firming, pore-minimizing, cell-turnover", "mechanism_of_action": "Third-generation retinoid, RAR-beta/gamma selective, potent collagen induction", "target_skin_layer": "epidermis, dermis", "collagen_stimulation": "Very high", "elastin_protection": "Yes", "wrinkle_reduction_pct": "28-38", "clinical_study_duration_weeks": "24", "sample_size": "568", "double_blind"…
pregnancy_detail
{"pregnancy_safe": "no", "breastfeeding_safe": "no", "trimester_restriction": "all", "risk_category": "FDA-X", "reason": "Teratogenic retinoid", "alternative_ingredient": "Azelaic Acid", "source": "FDA; AAD"}
skin_suitability
{"oily_skin": "recommended", "dry_skin": "caution", "sensitive_skin": "avoid", "combination_skin": "acceptable", "normal_skin": "acceptable", "acne_prone": "recommended", "rosacea": "avoid", "eczema": "avoid", "hyperpigmentation": "recommended", "aging_mature": "recommended", "dehydrated": "avoid", "skin_benefit_primary": "acne-treatment", "skin_benefit_secondary": "anti-aging", "mechanism_of_acti…
uv_stability
{"uv_stable": "no", "uv_degradation_rate": "fast", "photosensitizer": "yes", "phototoxic": "yes", "photoallergic": "no", "requires_uv_protection_packaging": "yes", "color_change_uv": "yes", "odor_change_uv": "yes", "efficacy_loss_uv_pct": "60", "spf_contribution": "no", "uva_protection": "no", "uvb_protection": "no", "photostable_sunscreen": "no", "boost_spf_of_others": "no", "antioxidant_under_uv…
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Softener and conditioner
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Tazarotene.
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
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Tazarotene & Tazarotenic Acid Report
Good
Chemical family
active ingredient
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