ISOPROPYL PALMITATE

📋 Quick facts

Description: ISOPROPYL PALMITATE — emollient, texture enhancer.

All Functions: emollient, texture enhancer

Quick Facts:

• Category: emollient
• Comedogenic Rating: 4/5

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• Isopropyl palmitate is a chemical penetration enhancer used in skincare and drug delivery products
• It works by increasing how easily substances pass through skin
• Effectiveness generally increases at higher concentrations, but with diminishing returns
• It’s an oily ingredient that alters how skin absorbs other compounds

⚗️ Chemical Overview

Isopropyl palmitate is a fatty acid ester obtained by the formal condensation of carboxy group of palmitic acid with propan-2-ol. Metabolite observed in cancer metabolism. It has a role as a human metabolite. It is an isopropyl ester and a fatty acid ester. It is functionally related to a hexadecanoic acid. isopropyl palmitate has been reported in Camellia sinensis, Solanum tuberosum, and other organisms with data available. See also: Aluminum Chloride (related); Calcium Sulfate (related); Monosodium Glutamate (related) … View More …

Source(s): LOTUS – the natural products occurrence database, ChEBI, PubChem, via PubChem

📊 Comedogenicity

4/5

🛡️ Safety rating

Safety tier is a starting heuristic from regulatory status and comedogenic rating, not a dermatological verdict — see our Terms for the full disclaimer. Research confidence reflects how many real cited studies back this ingredient, not the strength of their findings.

🌍 Regulatory Status

💧 Skin Type Compatibility

Derived from this ingredient’s irritancy potential and comedogenicity rating against the needs of each skin type — e.g. oily and acne-prone skin are marked down for pore-clogging ingredients, sensitive skin for irritants. A starting heuristic, not a dermatological verdict.

⚠️ Don’t Combine With

📚 Research & Evidence

🔬 The Science

Isopropyl palmitate (often abbreviated IP or IPP) is a penetration enhancer—a chemical that helps other ingredients move through the skin barrier more effectively. Here’s what the research shows:

#1: **It significantly increases skin permeation.** In a 2006 study published in Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin, researchers tested isopropyl palmitate mixed with ethanol at concentrations of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% on rat skin samples. All concentrations produced statistically significant increases in how much of four different drugs passed through the skin (p<0.001), with the 20% concentration working best overall. This means the ingredient actively helps other substances penetrate deeper into skin.

#2: **Concentration matters, but there’s a sweet spot.** A 2019 study in AAPS PharmSciTech found that as isopropyl palmitate concentration increased from 2% to 10%, drug release improved in a predictable linear way. However, between 10% and 15%, the improvement plateaued—meaning adding more didn’t help proportionally. Drug release increased by 4.8% at 2% concentration, jumping to 16% at 10%, but then only slightly decreased to 14.8% at 15%. #3: **How it works physically.** The mechanism appears to involve two processes (AAPS PharmSciTech, 2019). Isopropyl palmitate increases the fluidity (flowiness) of the adhesive or formulation it’s in, which helps release active ingredients.

Simultaneously, it competes with drugs for space within the formulation—essentially “displacing” them so they’re more available to be absorbed. Interestingly, the fluidity effect is most pronounced at concentrations below 10%. **Important limitation:** These studies used lab models (rat skin) and tested specific drugs in adhesive systems, not whole skincare products on living human skin. The exact effects in real-world cosmetic formulations may differ.

📄 Related Research

Matched by search — not necessarily verified support for every statement above.

• Guo H et al. (2006). Effects of isopropyl palmitate on the skin permeation of drugs. Biol Pharm Bull.
• Ruan J et al. (2019). Investigation of Effect of Isopropyl Palmitate on Drug Release from Transdermal Patch and Molecular Dynamics Study. AAPS PharmSciTech.
• Lazzarini S (1982). Contact allergy to benzyl alcohol and isopropyl palmitate, ingredients of topical corticosteroid. Contact Dermatitis.

🧴 Products Containing ISOPROPYL PALMITATE

• Nivea Men NIVEA Men Active Energy Hydraterende Dagcrème
• Nivea Lait crème nourrissant
• Nivea Body lotion
• Nivea cool kick
• Nivea Nivea Intensive Moisture Body Milk 5-in-1 Complete Care (or Nivea Nourishing Body Milk)
• Nivea stress protect
• Nivea, Nivea Men NIVEA Men Hyaluron Anti-age Gezichtscrème
• Nivea NIVEA CREME DARK SPOT REDUCTION
• nivea protector solar
• Nivea NIVEA Sun Protect & Hydrate SPF30 Zonnebrandspray
• Nivea NIVEA Sun Protect & Hydrate SPF50+ Zonnebrandspray
• Nivea Sun NIVEA Sun Protect & Hydrate SPF50+ Zonnebrandlotion
• Nivea Sun Protect & Moisture, SPF15
• Nivea sun Crème Visage Solaire Anti-Rides UV Q10 FPS 50
• Nivea, Nivea Sun Protect & Bronze 50
• Nivea, Nivea Men Black & White Invisible Anti-Transpirant
• Nivea Nivea lait démaquillant
• NIVEA kids sensitive protect
• Nivea, Nivea Sun Sensitive Immediate Protect+, SPF30
• Beiersdorf, Hidrofugal Classic Deo Creme
• Nivea nivea bronze efect
• NIVEA Sun,NIVEA babies & kids sensitive protect 50+
• Nivea sun Crème Protection Solaire Spray FPS 50+ Sensitive
• Nivea sun NIVEA Sun Breathable Uv Specialist Luminous630 Anti-Spot SPF50+ Zonnefluïde
• Nivea Sun protect & moisture SPF 50+
• Nivea, Nivea Sun Kids Sensitive Protect Spray, SPF50
• Nivea Sun UV Face Shine Control SPF 50
• unilever, dove DermaSpa Nutri Essence³
• GEHWOL med Express Pflege-Schaum
• Balea Reinigungsöl parfümfrei
• Ombia Handcreme
• Rituals Foaming Shower Gel (Tulip & Japanese Yuzu)
• RITUALS… Mousse de douche
• Sun Ozon Sunclean Sonnenmilch LSF 30
• NIVEA CARE – Крем для лица для чувствительной кожи
• Nivea, Nivea Sun Protect & Moisture solkrem, SPF30
• Nivea sun NIVEA Sun Protect & Hydrate Pocket Size SPF30 Zonnebrandcrème
• Nivea sun Protection Solaire Visage UV FPS30 Hydratante
• bilou Cotton Candy
• Eucerin Lotion Sun Protection kids SPF 50+