Menu
RETINYL PROPIONATE
Score:
Data: Limited
- Other Concerns
- Functions
- About the Chemical
- Synonyms
-
Use restrictions (high), Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low), and Biochemical or cellular level changes (high)
Cancer 
Cancer: Ingredients linked to cancer in government, industry or academic studies or assessments.
Developmental & Reproductive Toxicity
Developmental and reproductive toxicity: Ingredients linked to developmental and reproductive toxicity, a broad class of health effects that range from infertility and reproductive organ cancers to birth defects and developmental delays in children.
Allergies & Immunotoxicity
Allergies and immunotoxicity: Ingredients linked to harm to the immune system, a class of health problems that manifest as allergic reactions or an impaired capacity to fight disease and repair damaged tissue in the body.
Products with this Ingredient
| facial moisturizer/treatment | 1 products |
| serums & essences | 1 products |
Enhanced skin absorption
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Absorbs into the skin | Boehnlein J, Sakr A, Lichtin JL, Bronaugh RL 1994. Characterization of esterase and alcohol dehydrogenase activity in skin. Metabolism of retinyl palmitate to retinol (vitamin A) during percutaneous absorption. Pharm Res 11(8): 1155-9. |
Biochemical or cellular level changes
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Produces excess reactive oxygen species that can interfere with cellular signaling, cause mutations, lead to cell death and may be implicated in cardiovascular disease. | Cherng SH, Xia Q, Blankenship LR, Freeman JP, Wamer WG, Howard PC, et al 2005. Photodecomposition of retinyl palmitate in ethanol by UVA light-formation of photodecomposition products, reactive oxygen species, and lipid peroxides. Chem Res Toxicol 18(2): 129-38 |
Developmental/reproductive toxicity
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Known human reproductive toxicant | FDA 1995. FDA Talk Paper: Vitamin A and Birth Defects. US Food and Drug Administration |
| Limited evidence of reproductive toxicity | Yourick JJ, Jung CT, Bronaugh RL 2008. In vitro and in vivo percutaneous absorption of retinol from cosmetic formulations: significance of the skin reservoir and prediction of systemic absorption. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 231(1): 117-21 |
| One or more animal studies show reproductive effects at low doses | Hathcock JN, Hattan DG, Jenkens MY, McDonald JT, Sundaresan PR, Wilkening VL 1990. Evaluation of vitamin A toxicity. Am J Clin Nutr 52, 183–202. |
Use restrictions
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Violation of government restrictions - Banned or found unsafe for use in cosmetics | German BfR 2014. Vitamin A: Intake via cosmetic products should be restricted. http://www.bfr.bund.de/cm/349/vitamin-a-intake-via-cosmetic-products-should-be-restricted.pdf |
| Restricted in cosmetics (recommendations or requirements) - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Use is restricted in Canadian cosmetics | Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients |
Cancer
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| One or more animal studies show tumor formation at very low doses | National Toxicology Program (NTP) 2012. Photocarcinogenesis Studies of Retinoic Acid and Retinyl Palmitate [CAS Nos. 302-79-4 (All-trans-retinoic acid) and 79-81-2 (All-trans-retinyl palmitate)] in SKH-1 Mice (simulated solar light and topical application study). Report TR-568. |
| Cancer - limited evidence | NTP 2000. All-Trans-Retinyl Palmitate [CASRN 79-81-2]. http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/htdocs/Chem_Background/ExSumPdf/RetinylPalmitate.pdf |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | Mei N, Xia Q, Chen L, Moore MM, Fu PP, Chen T 2005. Photomutagenicity of retinyl palmitate by ultraviolet a irradiation in mouse lymphoma cells. Toxicol Sci 88(1): 142-9. |
| One or more in vitro tests non-mammalian cells show positive mutation results | Yan J, Xia Q, Cherng SH, Wamer WG, Howard PC, Yu H, et al 2005. Photo-induced DNA damage and photocytotoxicity of retinyl palmitate and its photodecomposition products. Toxicol Ind Health 21(7-8): 167-75 |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Limited evidence of skin toxicity | Duell EA, Kang S, Voorhees JJ 1997. Unoccluded retinol penetrates human skin in vivo more effectively than unoccluded retinyl palmitate or retinoic acid. J Invest Dermatol 109(3): 301-5. |
| Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmful | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Data gaps
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Risk assessment method deficiencies and data gaps - Maximum reported "as used" concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in product | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
| 10 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical | NLM PubMed |
Ecotoxicology
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Uncertain environmental toxin and uncertain persistent or bioaccumulative | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Informational
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Industry or government recommendations for safe use: restrictions on concentration, impurities, product types, or manufacturing methods - any | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Not suspected to be persistent | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Data Sources
- Boehnlein J, Sakr A, Lichtin JL, Bronaugh RL 1994. Characterization of esterase and alcohol dehydrogenase activity in skin. Metabolism of retinyl palmitate to retinol (vitamin A) during percutaneous absorption. Pharm Res 11(8): 1155-9.
- Cherng SH, Xia Q, Blankenship LR, Freeman JP, Wamer WG, Howard PC, et al 2005. Photodecomposition of retinyl palmitate in ethanol by UVA light-formation of photodecomposition products, reactive oxygen species, and lipid peroxides. Chem Res Toxicol 18(2): 129-38
- FDA 1995. FDA Talk Paper: Vitamin A and Birth Defects. US Food and Drug Administration
- Yourick JJ, Jung CT, Bronaugh RL 2008. In vitro and in vivo percutaneous absorption of retinol from cosmetic formulations: significance of the skin reservoir and prediction of systemic absorption. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 231(1): 117-21
- Hathcock JN, Hattan DG, Jenkens MY, McDonald JT, Sundaresan PR, Wilkening VL 1990. Evaluation of vitamin A toxicity. Am J Clin Nutr 52, 183–202.
- German BfR 2014. Vitamin A: Intake via cosmetic products should be restricted. http://www.bfr.bund.de/cm/349/vitamin-a-intake-via-cosmetic-products-should-be-restricted.pdf
- Health Canada. 2007. List of Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetic Ingredients. Canada's Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist. March 2007.
- National Toxicology Program (NTP) 2012. Photocarcinogenesis Studies of Retinoic Acid and Retinyl Palmitate [CAS Nos. 302-79-4 (All-trans-retinoic acid) and 79-81-2 (All-trans-retinyl palmitate)] in SKH-1 Mice (simulated solar light and topical application study). Report TR-568.
- NTP 2000. All-Trans-Retinyl Palmitate [CASRN 79-81-2]. http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/htdocs/Chem_Background/ExSumPdf/RetinylPalmitate.pdf
- Mei N, Xia Q, Chen L, Moore MM, Fu PP, Chen T 2005. Photomutagenicity of retinyl palmitate by ultraviolet a irradiation in mouse lymphoma cells. Toxicol Sci 88(1): 142-9.
- Yan J, Xia Q, Cherng SH, Wamer WG, Howard PC, Yu H, et al 2005. Photo-induced DNA damage and photocytotoxicity of retinyl palmitate and its photodecomposition products. Toxicol Ind Health 21(7-8): 167-75
- Duell EA, Kang S, Voorhees JJ 1997. Unoccluded retinol penetrates human skin in vivo more effectively than unoccluded retinyl palmitate or retinoic acid. J Invest Dermatol 109(3): 301-5.
- EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
- CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC.
- NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov.
- Products with the EWG VERIFIED mark have met use restrictions and warnings based on EWG review of company data.
ABOUT THE SKIN DEEP® RATINGS
EWG provides information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature, to supplement incomplete data available from companies and the government. The ratings below indicate the relative level of concern posed by exposure to the ingredients in this product - not the product itself - compared to other product formulations. The ratings reflect potential health hazards but do not account for the level of exposure or individual susceptibility, factors which determine actual health risks, if any. Learn more | Legal Disclaimer
ABOUT EWG VERIFIED™
Beyond providing Skin Deep® as an educational tool for consumers, EWG offers its EWG VERIFIED™ mark as a quick and easily identifiable way of conveying personal care products that meet EWG's strict health criteria. Before a company can use EWG VERIFIED™ on such products, the company must show that it fully discloses the products' ingredients on their labels or packaging, they do not contain EWG ingredients of concern, and are made with good manufacturing practices, among other criteria. Note that EWG receives licensing fees from all EWG VERIFIED™ member companies that help to support the important work we do. Learn more | Legal Disclaimer
