Ingredient decoder

Ethylhexyl palmitate: is it comedogenic? What it does in skincare

INCI name: Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Acne verdict High clog risk

Rated a pore-clogger

  • Comedogenic4 / 5
  • Irritancy0 / 5

What it does

Light, dry-feeling emollient common in makeup and sunscreen.

  • Emollient
  • Perfuming

Ethylhexyl palmitate in plain English

Ethylhexyl palmitate, also called octyl palmitate, is a light emollient that gives foundations, sunscreens and creams a smooth, dry-touch finish. It also helps dissolve pigments and sunscreen filters. It was named as a pore-clogger in rabbit-ear testing. Its rating comes from old rabbit-ear tests of the raw ingredient, which can overstate what happens with a finished product on human skin.

Is ethylhexyl palmitate bad for acne?

It can be. Ethylhexyl palmitate has a high clog risk rating for acne-prone skin. In Fulton's 1989 rabbit-ear test it scored 4 out of 5 for clogging pores and 0 out of 5 for irritation. That test used the raw ingredient, so a small amount in a finished product may behave differently. If you break out easily, check where it sits on the ingredient list: the higher it appears, the more of it the product usually contains.

Why it is flagged: Also called octyl palmitate. Named as a pore-clogger in rabbit-ear testing.

Clean routine and still breaking out? The cause may be internal. See what is driving it

Also called

  • Ethylhexyl Palmitate
  • Octyl palmitate
  • 2 ethylhexyl palmitate
  • 2-ethylhexyl palmitate
  • Octyl hexadecanoate

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Frequently asked questions

Is ethylhexyl palmitate comedogenic?

Ethylhexyl palmitate scored 4 out of 5 for comedogenicity in Fulton's 1989 rabbit-ear study, where 0 means no clogging and 5 means severe. That is a high rating. The test used the raw ingredient, so a finished product may behave differently.

What does ethylhexyl palmitate do in skincare?

In short: light, dry-feeling emollient common in makeup and sunscreen. In formulas it is used for emollient and perfuming.

What else is ethylhexyl palmitate called on ingredient labels?

On ingredient lists, ethylhexyl palmitate can also appear as Octyl palmitate, 2 ethylhexyl palmitate, 2-ethylhexyl palmitate or Octyl hexadecanoate.

Sources