Is The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% pregnancy-safe?

MamaSkin's current pregnancy-focused assessment places The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% in the Low Risk band with a safety score of 71/100. One or more ingredients have a low-risk flag in MamaSkin's current assessment. Review the notes and your own circumstances.

Can this product's assessment change?

Yes. Product formulas and the available evidence can change. Compare the ingredient list shown here with the current packaging and scan the label in MamaSkin when you repurchase.

The Ordinary

The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%

Serums

Safety score

Pregnancy-focused assessment

Low Risk71/100

Higher concernLower concern

One or more ingredients have a low-risk flag in MamaSkin's current assessment. Review the notes and your own circumstances.

Ingredient safety review updated 9 December 2025.

Check the current formula in MamaSkin

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Ingredient breakdown

See how the listed formula falls across MamaSkin's pregnancy-focused risk bands.

No known risks

Low risk

Medium risk

High risk

Ingredients

Ingredients with a higher risk flag appear first, followed by the rest of the formula.

Triethanolamine

Low Risk

Triethanolamine (TEA) is an alkanolamine used as a pH adjuster and surfactant in cosmetics. The main practical concerns are skin/eye irritation at higher concentrations and the potential formation of nitrosamines if formulated with nitrosating agents (a formulation/impurity-control issue). It is not a typical pregnancy-specific concern at cosmetic use levels; overall risk is primarily local irritation/sensitisation in susceptible users.

Sources: CIR: Safety Assessment of Triethanolamine (TEA) and TEA-containing ingredients as used in cosmetics (Fiume et al., 2013); CIR Resource Document: N-Nitrosation and cosmetic ingredient safety; EU CosIng (Triethanolamine).

Phenoxyethanol

Low Risk

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative permitted in EU cosmetics up to 1.0%. The SCCS concluded it is safe for cosmetic use at that level, including when considering higher cosmetic exposure scenarios in infants and young children. Main practical concern is irritation/stinging on very sensitive or compromised skin rather than a pregnancy- or breastfeeding-specific risk.

Sources: EU SCCS; EU Cosmetics Regulation (Annex V preservative limit), SCCS Opinion on Phenoxyethanol (SCCS/1575/16, 2016)

Dimethicone

Low Risk

Dimethicone is a silicone polymer used as a skin protectant and slip/conditioning agent. It is considered inert with minimal dermal absorption; the main practical issues are cosmetic (feel) and occasional irritation in very sensitive users. It is not a pregnancy-specific concern in topical cosmetic use.

Sources: CIR: Safety Assessment of Dimethicone, Methicone, and related ingredients as used in cosmetics (Methicones report; 2019/2022 update); EU CosIng entry for Dimethicone.

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Azelaic Acid

Low Risk

Dicarboxylic acid used for acne and melasma; topical 10–20% formulations show minimal systemic absorption and no teratogenic signal in available animal and human data. Widely recommended by dermatology societies as a pregnancy-safe alternative to retinoids for acne and hyperpigmentation.

Sources: PubMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM); American Academy of Dermatology (AAD)

Polysilicone-11

Low Risk

A crosslinked silicone elastomer used as a film former and texture ingredient. Cosmetic safety reviewers concluded that Polysilicone-11 is safe in current cosmetic use. MamaSkin classifies it as low risk for consistency with the existing silicone-polymer policy and because cosmetic-grade manufacturing should control residual starting materials, rather than because of a known pregnancy-specific contraindication.

Sources: CIR: Safety Assessment of Polysilicone-11 as Used in Cosmetics https://www.cir-safety.org/supplementaldoc/safety-assessment-polysilicone-11-used-cosmetics

Water

No Known Risks

Isodecyl Neopentanoate

No Known Risks

A fatty-acid ester used mainly for emollience, slip and formula texture. Cosmetic safety reviewers concluded that the assessed alkyl esters are safe in current practices when formulated to be non-irritating. No pregnancy-specific concern was identified for normal topical cosmetic exposure.

Sources: CIR: Safety Assessment of Alkyl Esters as Used in Cosmetics https://cir-reports.cir-safety.org/view-attachment/?id=b34bc38f-8e74-ec11-8943-0022482f06a6

Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer

No Known Risks

Dimethyl Isosorbide

No Known Risks

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

No Known Risks

Large polymer thickener, stabilizer and texture ingredient used in gels, creams and sunscreens. Systemic exposure from topical cosmetic use is expected to be low, with no pregnancy- or breastfeeding-specific concern identified in reviewed cosmetic references.

Sources: CIR cosmetic ingredient safety references for acrylates copolymers; EU CosIng / cosmetics regulatory inventory

Isohexadecane

No Known Risks

Low-viscosity isoparaffin emollient used for slip and lightweight texture. Reviewed cosmetic safety sources support normal topical use, with no pregnancy- or breastfeeding-specific topical signal identified in the material reviewed.

Sources: CIR: Safety Assessment of Isoparaffins as Used in Cosmetics / CIR Quick Reference Table (Isohexadecane); EU CosIng / cosmetics regulatory inventory

Tocopherol

No Known Risks

Vitamin E antioxidant used to protect oils and support the skin barrier. Not associated with pregnancy-specific concerns at cosmetic exposure.

Sources: Cosmetic Ingredient Review (US); Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (EU)

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

No Known Risks

Chelating ingredient used to improve formula stability by binding trace metals. Reviewed cosmetic ingredient references do not identify a pregnancy- or breastfeeding-specific concern for normal topical use.

Sources: CIR cosmetic ingredient safety references for chelating agents; EU CosIng / cosmetics regulatory inventory

Isoceteth-20

No Known Risks

Polysorbate 60

No Known Risks

Nonionic emulsifier and solubilizer used to help oil and water phases mix. Reviewed cosmetic safety sources support normal topical use, with no pregnancy- or breastfeeding-specific topical signal identified.

Sources: CIR: Safety Assessment of Polysorbates as Used in Cosmetics; EU CosIng / cosmetics regulatory inventory

Ethoxydiglycol

No Known Risks

A glycol ether used as a cosmetic solvent and delivery aid. Cosmetic safety reviewers concluded that ethoxydiglycol is safe as used in cosmetics, with low toxicity in the reviewed exposure data. It is distinct from ethoxyethanol, which has a different and less favourable safety assessment.

Sources: CIR: Final Report on Butylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol and Dipropylene Glycol; CIR Quick Reference Table https://cir-safety.org/sites/default/files/qrt-r.pdf

Chlorphenesin

No Known Risks

Preservative used to help protect formulas from microbial growth. Reviewed cosmetic safety sources support present cosmetic use; no pregnancy- or breastfeeding-specific topical concern was identified in the material reviewed, although some users may still notice local irritation or sensitivity.

Sources: CIR: Safety Assessment of Chlorphenesin as Used in Cosmetics; EU CosIng / cosmetics regulatory inventory

Formulations can change without notice. For the most accurate result, compare this list with your packaging and scan the exact ingredient label in MamaSkin when you repurchase.

How to use this assessment

The risk band is the primary conclusion. The score adds detail within that band and should not be used to compare products as if a one-point difference were clinically meaningful.

MamaSkin provides pregnancy-focused information, not medical advice. Your midwife, GP, pharmacist or dermatologist should take priority when your circumstances differ from typical cosmetic use.

Read the full methodology