Ingredient Retinol Palmitate

Ingredient Retinol Palmitate

Retinol is the primary naturally occurring form of vitamin A.  It is a pale yellow crystalline material or a thick liquid.  Retinyl palmitate is the ester of retinol and palmitic acid and is a yellow to yellow-red solid or oily substance.  In cosmetics and personal care products, these ingredients are used primarily in the formulation of hair, facial makeup and skin care products. When used in sunscreens, it is not an active drug ingredient, but rather a cosmetic ingredient that acts as an antioxidant helping to protect the skin from the signs of premature aging caused by exposure to the sun.

Retinol and Retinyl Palmitate enhance the appearance of dry or damaged skin by reducing flaking and restoring suppleness. These ingredients also enhance the appearance and feel of hair, by increasing hair body, suppleness, or sheen, or by improving the texture of hair that has been damaged physically or by chemical treatment.

Retinyl Palmitate is produced from Retinol and is sometimes referred to as vitamin A palmitate. Retinol and Retinyl Palmitate are produced by commercial methods but can be found in animal fats, in fish liver oil, and in plants that contain beta-carotene, a vitamin A precursor. Retinol is essential for vision, growth, and reproduction. In addition to their use in cosmetics and personal care products, Retinol and Retinyl Palmitate can be found in foods and in vitamin supplements.

The safety of retinol and retinyl palmitate has been assessed on several occasions by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel. The Expert Panel evaluated available scientific data in 1987 and concluded that they were safe as cosmetic ingredients. In 2005, the Expert Panel considered available new data and reaffirmed the above conclusion.  Once again, in 2013, the CIR Expert Panel looked at additional new data and decided the data were not sufficient to re-open the safety assessment. The ‘safe as used’ conclusion in previous reports was confirmed.

Myth:  Some reports in the media have suggested that the use of retinyl palmitate in sunscreens may cause skin cancer.  Is this true?

The Facts:  Reports that retinyl palmitate could increase skin cancer risks are false.  No published studies show that its use in sunscreens is toxic to humans or hazardous to human health. Scientific studies support the safety of using sunscreens.

When used in sunscreens, it is not an active drug ingredient, but rather a cosmetic ingredient that acts as an antioxidant helping to protect the skin from the signs of premature aging caused by exposure to the sun.  The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) notes that decades of clinical experience with the use of this ingredient do not support the notion that its use in sunscreen causes or promotes skin cancer.  The AAD states the following facts about retinyl palmitate:

  • No study shows that it increases the risk of skin cancer in humans.
  • It is a form of vitamin A that is found naturally in the skin.
  • One form of vitamin A, retinoids, has been used for decades to prevent skin cancer in people who have a high risk of developing skin cancers.

This ingredient is also approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as safe for use in over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription drugs, and it is also approved as safe for use as a food additive (e.g., to fortify low-fat milk, dairy products and breakfast cereals with vitamin A).