3-O-CETYL ASCORBIC ACID

📋 Quick facts

Description: 3-O-CETYL ASCORBIC ACID — SKIN CONDITIONING.

All Functions: SKIN CONDITIONING

Quick Facts:

• Category: emollient

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• 3-O-cetyl ascorbic acid (CA) is a form of vitamin C used in skincare research
• In studies, CA has been delivered to skin using nanoparticle technology
• Research shows CA can accumulate in the deeper layers of skin (the dermis) when properly formulated
• CA was most effective at reaching skin when combined with certain helper ingredients in nanoparticle carriers

📊 Comedogenicity

🛡️ 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

⚠️ Don’t Combine With

📚 Research & Evidence

🔬 The Science

3-O-cetyl ascorbic acid is a modified version of vitamin C designed to be more stable and easier to deliver into skin. In one study published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics (2018), researchers created tiny spherical nanoparticles (about 150 nanometers across—far smaller than the width of a human hair) to carry CA into skin. These nanoparticles were made by combining CA with phospholipids (fatty molecules found in cell membranes) and other ingredients. #1: The nanoparticles remained stable for at least two weeks, suggesting they could maintain their structure during storage and use (Int J Pharm, 2018). #2: When certain helper ingredients called glycerol and diglycerol were added to the formulation, they improved how much CA accumulated in the dermis—the deeper layer of skin beneath the surface (Int J Pharm, 2018).

The researchers found these helpers worked by promoting the formation of new layered structures in the stratum corneum (the outermost dead skin cells), which appears to have helped the nanoparticles penetrate more effectively. However, the available research is limited to this one delivery formulation study, so claims about CA’s direct skincare benefits—such as effects on wrinkles, brightening, or collagen production—are not supported by these abstracts.

📄 Related Research

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

• Fushimi T et al. (2018). Development of phospholipid nanoparticles encapsulating 3-O-cetyl ascorbic acid and tocopherol acetate (TA-Cassome) for improving their skin accumulation. Int J Pharm.

🧴 Products Containing 3-O-CETYL ASCORBIC ACID