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Retinyl Palmitate
AKA “VITAMIN A PALMITATE, Retinol palmitate, Retinol, hexadecanoate, all-trans-Retinyl palmitate, Arovit, Optovit-A, Retinyl hexadecanoate”
Synthetic
Ingredient Facts
Retinyl palmitate
AKA: VITAMIN A PALMITATE, Retinol palmitate, Retinol, Hexadecanoate, All-trans-Retinyl palmitate, Arovit, Optovit-A, Retinyl hexadecanoate
Synthetic · Antioxidant · EWG: 4
Varies With Manufacturer
Antioxidant
Skin Conditioner
Retinoid
Synthetic
Clean
Vitamin A derivative that helps smooth and soften skin while supporting its natural renewal process. Works to improve skin texture and appearance over time.
Formula
C36H60O2
Mol. Weight
524.90
CAS #
79-81-2
Form
Liquid
See origin →
Functions
Skin Conditioning
A catch-all term for ingredients that improve how skin looks and feels — softer, smoother, more supple. The workhorse behind most moisturizers.
Antioxidant
Fights free radicals — the unstable molecules from UV, pollution, and stress that break down collagen and cause premature aging.
Supports cell turnover
Smooths skin texture
Traditional Use
Retinyl palmitate is a stable, long-chain ester form of retinol (vitamin A) developed in the mid-20th century. Created to overcome retinol's instability and penetration challenges, making vitamin A more practical for cosmetic formulations beginning in the 1980s-1990s.
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
Wrinkles
Melanin-Rich Skin
Suitable
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Caution
EWG
4
CIR
Safe w/Qualifications
Pregnancy
Caution
CIR Safety Findings
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Phototoxicity Concern
Regulatory Status
USA✔ permitted
EU⚠ restricted
JAPAN⚠ restricted
CANADA⚠ restricted
Novel Cyclized Hexapeptide-9 Outperforms Retinol Against Skin Aging: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Active- and Vehicle-Controlled Clinical Trial.
Chang H, Tao K, Yang Y, Wang Y, Ge M et al.
Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 2025
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Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Retinyl Palmitate and Retinol
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
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Retinol
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Retinol (Vitamin A)
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Retinyl Palmitate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Prospective, randomized, double-blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageing.
Dhaliwal S, Rybak I, Ellis SR, Notay M, Trivedi M et al.
The British journal of dermatology, 2019
→
Retinol (Vitamin A)
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
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Mitigation of retinol-induced skin irritation by physiologic lipids: Evidence from patch testing.
Fang Y, Ying Y, Xiaolan W, Lin S, Chenlan X et al.
Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 2024
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Retinol and its esters
Health Canada
Health Canada Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist
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A retinyl palmitate-loaded solid lipid nanoparticle system: effect of surface modification with dicetyl phosphate on skin permeation in vitro and anti
Jeon HS, Seo JE, Kim MS, Kang MH, Oh DH et al.
International journal of pharmaceutics, 2013
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Improvement of naturally aged skin with vitamin A (retinol).
Kafi R, Kwak HS, Schumacher WE, Cho S, Hanft VN et al.
Archives of dermatology, 2007
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Tensile properties and contours of aging facial skin. A controlled double-blind comparative study of the effects of retinol, melibiose-lactose and the
Piérard-Franchimont C, Castelli D, Cromphaut IV, Bertin C, Ries G et al.
Skin research and technology : official journal of International Society for Bioengineering and the Skin (ISBS) [and] International Society for Digital Imaging of Skin (ISDIS) [and] International Society for Skin Imaging (ISSI), 1998
→
Human Skin Aging and the Anti-Aging Properties of Retinol.
Quan T
Biomolecules, 2023
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Retinol Wrinkle Reduction Clinical Trial
Randhawa M, Wang S, Leyden JJ, Cula GO, Pagnoni A, Southall MD
Dermatologic Surgery, 2015
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Revision of the scientific Opinion (SCCS/1576/16) on Vitamin A (Retinol, Retinyl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate)
Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS)
European Commission — SCCS
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Efficacy and mechanism of retinyl palmitate against UVB-i...
Peng Shu, Menggeng Li, Nan Zhao, Yuan Wang, Lanyue Zhang, Zhiyun Du
Frontiers in pharmacology, 2023
→
Efficacy and mechanism of retinyl palmitate against UVB-i...
Peng Shu, Menggeng Li, Nan Zhao, Yuan Wang, Lanyue Zhang, Zhiyun Du
Frontiers in pharmacology, 2023
→
Efficacy and mechanism of retinyl palmitate against UVB-i...
Peng Shu, Menggeng Li, Nan Zhao, Yuan Wang, Lanyue Zhang, Zhiyun Du
Frontiers in pharmacology, 2023
→
Chitosan/β-glucan/cystine multifunctional hydrogel loading retinol liposomes for efficiently treating UV-induced skin damage and aging.
Song Q, Wang Y, Tan Z, Xiang H, Liu Q et al.
Carbohydrate polymers, 2026
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Verified Feb 2026
Data: PubChem · CosIng · EWG · CIR