Retinyl Palmitate
The gentlest and most stable retinoid, formed by combining retinol with palmitic acid. Retinyl palmitate requires three enzymatic conversions to become active retinoic acid, making it the least potent but also the least irritating retinoid. Commonly found in drugstore moisturizers and eye creams as a gentle anti-aging ingredient. Best for those who cannot tolerate any other retinoid.
Concentration & Usage
Concentrations: 0.1-1%. Can often be used daily without irritation. Found in many moisturizers and eye creams. Minimal retinization period compared to stronger retinoids.
Application
Topical (cream, lotion, eye cream). Very stable in formulation. Can be used morning or night.
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Mechanism of Action
Retinyl palmitate is cleaved by cutaneous esterases (including retinyl ester hydrolase) to release retinol, which then undergoes oxidation by retinol dehydrogenase to retinaldehyde, followed by RALDH conversion to retinoic acid. The three-step enzymatic cascade means very little active retinoic acid reaches nuclear RAR receptors at any given time, explaining the low potency and minimal retinization. The palmitate ester bond provides exceptional stability — resistant to UV-induced isomerization and oxidative degradation that affects retinol. This slow-release profile makes it suitable for sensitive skin and daytime use. The limited retinoic acid flux still provides mild stimulation of collagen type I synthesis and epidermal turnover, though clinical effects are subtle compared to stronger retinoids.
Regulatory Status
Cosmetic ingredient. Available OTC worldwide. Found in many mainstream moisturizers.
Risks & Safety
Common
Very mild — occasional dryness.
Serious
Theoretical pregnancy concern (retinoid class), though risk is very low.
Rare
Mild irritation in very sensitive skin.
Compare Retinyl Palmitate With
Research Papers
10Published: March 20, 2007
AI Summary
Similarly, many of the physiological responses of the skin, such as dermal aging, immune defense, and wound healing, are significantly affected by retinoids. Interest in the effects of retinol, retinyl palmitate, and other retinoids on the skin, fueled in part by the promise of improved dermatologic and cosmetic products, will undoubtedly make t...
Published: October 19, 2023
AI Summary
Immunohistochemical assays indicate that RP can significantly reduce the expression of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α induced by UVB radiation. Moreover, metabolomics and transcriptomics results suggest that RP regulates several metabolic pathways and gene expression, particularly in inflammatory signaling pathways, collagen synthesis and apopto...
Published: December 10, 2022
AI Summary
Among the representatives of retinoids, tretinoin is considered the most effective agent with proven antiaging effects on the skin and can be found in formulations approved as medicines for topical treatment of acne, facial wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation.
Published: February 4, 2021
AI Summary
Over time, this leads to morphological and visual appearance changes associated with premature ageing. Results from ex vivo skin found that RP and ROL have higher penetration levels compared with RPalm.
Published: July 1, 2021
AI Summary
Retinoids as dermatological agents are effective against acne, psoriasis, skin aging, and other skin conditions. However, their susceptibility to degradation is a limiting factor for their widespread use.
Published: November 13, 2020
AI Summary
High production of retinyl palmitate (69.96 ± 2.64 mg/L) was obtained using a fed-batch fermentation process. These results would pave the way for large-scale production of retinyl palmitate in microbial systems and represent the first evidence for the application of microbial retinyl palmitate as a cosmeceutical.
Published: January 5, 2014
AI Summary
The skin distribution of RP increased in a concentration dependent manner and the formulations containing 0.5 and 1 mg of pectin demonstrated significantly increased RP distributions in the epidermis. Furthermore, it was found that skin distribution of RP could be further improved by combined use of pectin and ascorbyl palmitate (AP), due largel...
Published: November 22, 2007
AI Summary
The results showed that retinyl palmitate diffused into the skin and was partially hydrolyzed to retinol. Our results indicate that topically applied retinyl palmitate may alter the normal physiological levels of retinyl palmitate and retinol in the skin of SKH-1 mice and may have a significant impact on vitamin A homeostasis in the skin.
Published: November 6, 2010
AI Summary
Abstract too short to summarize.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Retinyl Palmitate used for?
The gentlest and most stable retinoid, formed by combining retinol with palmitic acid. Retinyl palmitate requires three enzymatic conversions to become active retinoic acid, making it the least potent but also the least irritating retinoid. Commonly found in drugstore moisturizers and eye creams as a gentle anti-aging ingredient. Best for those who cannot tolerate any other retinoid.
What are the side effects of Retinyl Palmitate?
Common: Very mild — occasional dryness. Serious: Theoretical pregnancy concern (retinoid class), though risk is very low. Rare: Mild irritation in very sensitive skin.
How is Retinyl Palmitate administered?
Retinyl Palmitate is administered via topical (cream, lotion, eye cream). very stable in formulation. can be used morning or night..
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Bakuchiol
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