Ascorbyl Palmitate

Ascorbyl Palmitate's CosIng-listed function is "antioxidant": slows oxidation that can degrade a formula.

Considered well-tolerated in pregnancy — it is an antioxidant the body already makes and uses, with no contraindication reported for topical use. A good brightening alternative to the ingredients you're skipping. Evidence is reassurance-by-absence rather than a trial.

Evidence: Limited evidence.

• Skin Changes and Safety Profile of Topical Products During Pregnancy (peer-reviewed review). PMC

A patch-test caution, not a hard avoid. A 1995 lab study found Malassezia furfur really does hydrolyse synthetic fatty-acid esters back into free fatty acids — ethyl esters (like ethyl oleate) fastest, isopropyl esters (isopropyl palmitate, isopropyl myristate) next — and the released unsaturated fatty acids fed the yeast's growth more than saturated ones did. So the mechanism is real for at least some esters. But this remains the biggest over-flagging bucket: many ubiquitous emulsifiers (glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate) are built so the fatty acid isn't released in a usable form, and many fungal-acne-prone people tolerate them fine, especially in rinse-off. Treat a match as 'worth patch-testing', not 'certainly breaks you out'.

Evidence: Moderate evidence.

• Mayser P, et al. Hydrolysis of fatty-acid esters by Malassezia furfur — ethyl esters hydrolysed fastest, then isopropyl esters; released unsaturated fatty acids stimulated growth. Acta Derm Venereol 1995. PubMed
• Fungal Acne and Lipids: What Science Actually Says (concentration-dependence & over-flagging critique). Roccoco

Ascorbyl Palmitate appears in 2% of the 7,133 decoded products in our catalog (152 products).

In the products we've decoded, Ascorbyl Palmitate appears in formulas from Beauty of Joseon, DERMA E, Lavera, Wella, Domus olea toscana.

In our decoded catalog, Ascorbyl Palmitate shows up mostly in moisturizers (30), sunscreens (23), body lotions (14), cleansers (14), lip cares (12), serums (11).

Based on the categories of the decoded products that list it, Ascorbyl Palmitate shows up mostly in leave-on products (102 of 132 classified). This is derived from product category, not a label fact.

On Korean labels, Ascorbyl Palmitate is listed as 아스코빌팔미테이트.

Typically #22 of a label (bottom third) — across 152 decoded labels. Labels list ingredients in descending order only above 1% — position is a rough signal, not a concentration claim.