An ester of retinol and palmitic acid used as a vitamin A-related skin-conditioning ingredient.
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5Retinol palmitate, Vitamin A palmitate
Avoid during pregnancy
Avoid during pregnancy as a precaution for vitamin A-derived topical retinoids. This is class-based guidance, not a retinyl-palmitate-specific pregnancy trial; breastfeeding use needs separate advice.
Sources: 2Limited evidence
Retinyl Palmitate
What it does
Used in formulas positioned for skin conditioning and photoaging care. Evidence for retinol or prescription retinoic acid cannot be assigned directly to this ester.
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5Good for
- Skin-conditioning formulas
How to use it
Follow the finished product's directions and sun-protection advice. Treat it as a vitamin A derivative when considering additional retinoid steps.
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5Who should be careful
Avoid in pregnancy as a retinoid class precaution. A reputation for being mild is not proof of pregnancy suitability or guaranteed tolerance.
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5Pairs well with
No supported pairings have been documented for this record.
Keep apart from
- Additional retinoids or irritating exfoliation steps
Adding multiple potentially irritating treatments can make a routine harder to tolerate.
A tolerance precaution, not a universal chemical incompatibility. Follow the finished product label and clinician's plan.
Expert opinionSources: 1
Usage, safety and formulation details
Mechanism of action
Hydrolysis can release retinol, which then requires further conversion to retinaldehyde and retinoic acid. This pathway does not establish a fixed potency-equivalence ratio.
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5Potential adverse effects
Irritation, dryness and peeling can occur; evidence from a combination formula cannot establish the isolated ingredient's tolerance.
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5Formulation considerations
Oil-phase delivery, stability and vitamin A-equivalent exposure require assessment. Do not infer efficacy from the raw ingredient's percentage alone.
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Avoid during pregnancy
Avoid during pregnancy as a precaution for vitamin A-derived topical retinoids. This is class-based guidance, not a retinyl-palmitate-specific pregnancy trial; breastfeeding use needs separate advice.
Sources: 2Safety tags
- Fragrance allergen
- Not assessed
Not separately assessed in this draft.
- Essential oil
- Not assessed
Not separately assessed in this draft.
- Drying alcohol
- Not assessed
Not separately assessed in this draft.
- May irritate sensitive skin
- Not assessed
Not separately assessed in this draft.
What remains uncertain
- Exact concentration, final pH and the full composition of any unprovided finished product
Clinical evidence and research (1 studies)
Clinical evidence
Evidence for its main benefitLimited evidence
Limited evidence from finished formulations: a 2018 comparison of two commercial creams in 11 men over 60 days found improvements but did not isolate retinyl palmitate. Retinol studies are not substituted.
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5Comparative efficacy of two anti-aging products containing retinyl palmitate in healthy volunteers
- Design
- Split-face comparison of two commercial creams containing retinyl palmitate
- Population
- 11 healthy male volunteers
- Studied concentration
- Two finished anti-aging creams; retinyl palmitate content not isolated
- Duration
- 60 days, nightly
Both creams improved measured skin-surface parameters.
Limitations: Compares two finished formulations; it does not isolate retinyl palmitate from the other ingredients.
Small clinical studySources: 5Regulation and ingredient label names
Regulatory information
European Union
Regulation (EU) 2024/996: retinol, retinyl acetate and retinyl palmitate
Vitamin A equivalents, product-category restrictions and required labeling need checking against the current consolidated rules. The cited amendment does not assess retinaldehyde or establish pregnancy suitability.
Sources: 4Names on ingredient lists
retinyl palmitate
Chemical identity and molecular structure
Chemical information
Chemical structure
| Detail | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PubChem CID | 5280531 | PubChem compound 5280531: chemical identity |
| molecular formula | C36H60O2 | PubChem compound 5280531: chemical identity |
| molecular weight | 524.9 g/mol | PubChem compound 5280531: chemical identity |
Content updated 9 November 2026.
Sources (6)
Scientific sources
- AAD: Retinoid or retinol use and skin toleranceclinical guidance
- AAD: Pregnancy skincare and ingredients to avoidclinical guidance
- ACOG: Skin conditions during pregnancyclinical guidance
- Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/996: vitamin A, alpha-arbutin, arbutin and certain potential endocrine disruptorsregulation · 2024
- Comparative efficacy of two anti-aging products containing retinyl palmitate in healthy volunteershuman comparison of finished products · 2018
- PubChem compound 5280531: chemical identitychemical identity
Keep exploring: ingredient library or build your skincare routine.
