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The Beauty & Personal Care Brand Builder Series

Ingredient Deep Dive

Palmitic Acid

The Beauty & Personal Care Brand Builder Series

Ingredient Deep Dive

Palmitic Acid

A Structuring Fatty Acid & Emollient

Palmitic Acid is a saturated C16 fatty acid found in many plant and animal fats, supplied as a white waxy solid.

In cosmetics it acts as an emollient, thickener / consistency factor and (when neutralized) a co-emulsifier and opacifier — giving creams and cleansers body.

Quick Insights

Ingredient Rating:

GOOD

Type of Ingredient:

Emollient and Texture Enhancer

Intended Function:

A C16 fatty acid used as an emollient, thickener and (neutralized) co-emulsifier / opacifier.

Common Applications:

Used in creams and moisturizers, cleansers and lotions.

Target Audience:

Brands needing a structuring, skin-identical fatty acid for creams and cleansing bases.

Also Known As:

Palmitic Acid, C16 Fatty Acid

Benefits of Palmitic Acid

A dependable functional ingredient that does its job elegantly.

Emollient & Conditioning: Softens skin and contributes to a smooth surface feel.
Thickening & Opacity: Builds viscosity and a creamy, opaque texture.
Co-Emulsifier (Neutralized): With a base, forms soaps that emulsify and stabilize.
Barrier Lipid: A skin-identical fatty acid found in the skin’s own surface lipids.
Versatile: Used across creams, cleansers and stick products.

How It Works

Palmitic Acid is one of the skin’s own barrier fatty acids. In formulas it structures the oil phase and, when partly neutralized, forms soaps that emulsify and thicken — the basis of many classic creams and cleansing bases.

Formulating with Palmitic Acid

Oil-phase; melt in with the oils. Often neutralized in situ (e.g. with a hydroxide or amine) to build a cream or cleanser structure.

Safety Analysis

Palmitic Acid is a widely used, well-tolerated fatty acid (also present in skin’s own lipids). Substantiate the finished product (patch / HRIPT) per MoCRA.

References

https://incidecoder.com/ingredients/palmitic-acid

https://cosmetics.specialchem.com/inci-ingredients/palmitic-acid

https://cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/palmitic-acid/

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