RETINOIC ACID

Banned in the EU CAS: 302-79-4CosIng #85067

RETINOIC ACID is banned in cosmetics in the EU — Annex II, entry 375 of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. Review the regulatory details and Safety Gate alerts.

Regulatory status as of 2026-08-28 (per the CosIng database).

About the ingredient

3,7-Dimethyl-9-(2.6.6-Trimethyl-1-Cyclohexen-1-yl)-2,4,6,8-Nonatetraenoic Acid

EU regulatory status

Annex of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009: II/375

Source: the European Commission's official CosIng database and Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on cosmetic products. How we assess ingredients — full methodology.

Last updated:

Functions in cosmetics

Frequently asked questions

  • Is RETINOIC ACID safe in cosmetics?

    RETINOIC ACID is banned in the EU under Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and may not be used in cosmetics placed on the EU market. Cosmetics containing this substance are withdrawn by national inspectorates and reported to the EU Safety Gate database.

  • In which annex of Regulation 1223/2009 is RETINOIC ACID listed?

    RETINOIC ACID is listed under reference II/375 in the annexes of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products. The first part (Roman numeral) indicates the annex: II – prohibited substances, III – substances restricted by conditions, IV – permitted colorants, V – permitted preservatives, VI – permitted UV filters.

  • What functions does RETINOIC ACID perform in cosmetics?

    According to the European Commission's CosIng database, RETINOIC ACID performs the following functions in cosmetics: NOT REPORTED. Functions are defined in the CosIng glossary and describe the technological role of a substance in the finished product.

  • Are there Safety Gate alerts concerning RETINOIC ACID?

    We found 1 recent alerts in the EU Safety Gate database in which RETINOIC ACID appears in the risk description or on the ingredient list of a recalled cosmetic. The full list and details of each alert are below in the Safety Gate alerts section.

Safety Gate alerts mentioning this ingredient

We found 1 recent EU Safety Gate alerts that mention RETINOIC ACID in the hazard description or ingredient list.

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