Excellent Antioxidant NOAEL Data SCCS/CIR Reviewed Dermal Penetration

Ascorbyl Palmitate

INCI: ASCORBYL PALMITATE

CAS Number
137-66-6
Function
Lipophilic antioxidant; ester of ascorbic acid and palmitic acid; product stabiliser; skin-conditioning agent; converted to ascorbic acid after ester cleavage by skin esterases
Safety Rating
EXCELLENT

Regulatory Status

🇪🇺 EU Status permitted
EU Max Conc. 1%
🇺🇸 US Status permitted
US Notes FDA GRAS for food use as antioxidant preservative. No specific cosmetic concentration limits. Widely used in lipid-based formulations and oil-phase stabilisation. CIR assessed safe as used.

For full compliance data across 55 jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
adequate
Dermal Absorption
high
Sensitization
low

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Toxicological Studies

7 study endpoints found for Ascorbyl Palmitate. NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) values are used to calculate the Margin of Safety per SCCS methodology.

Endpoint Value Route Species Study Type Source
NOAEL 125 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Chronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 2500 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Chronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 3000 mg/kg bw/day oral mouse Short Term Toxicity COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 1500 mg/kg bw/day oral mouse Special Toxicology Study COSMOS_DB
dose_tested 125 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Chronic COSMOS_DB
dose_tested 3000 mg/kg bw/day oral mouse Short Term Toxicity COSMOS_DB
dose_tested 1500 mg/kg bw/day oral mouse Special Toxicology Study COSMOS_DB

Safety Opinions

Official safety assessments from the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) and Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR).

cir
Verdict: unknown
NOAEL: 1000 mg/kg/day (oral)

Dermal Penetration Profile

Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of Ascorbyl Palmitate, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.

Absorption %
2-5%
Penetration Level
stratum-corneum
Penetration Depth
stratum corneum/upper epidermis
Molecular Weight
414.5 Da
Log P
7.3
Systemic Absorption
minimal
Topical Bioavailability
1-3%
Safety Margin Factor
low
Vehicle Dependent
Yes — absorption varies by formulation

Source: CIR 2005

Expert Verdict

Lipophilic vitamin C derivative offering oil-phase compatibility and stability at neutral pH, essential for emulsions and lipid-based formulations where L-ascorbic acid is impractical. Functions as both a skin active after ester cleavage and a product antioxidant. Best use: product stabilisation in lipid phases (0.01–0.1%) or as skin active in oil-serum or lipid-based formulations (0.1–0.5%). Synergistic with alpha-tocopherol in vitamin E regeneration network. No regulatory restrictions.

⚠️
Concern Level: None

Regulatory Flags

antioxidant lipophilic vitamin-c-derivative oil-phase-compatible stable-ester product-stabiliser synergistic-with-vitamin-e gras cir-reviewed eu_children_restricted epa_safer_alternative ifra_fragrance fda_food_additive

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ascorbyl Palmitate safe in cosmetics?

Lipophilic vitamin C derivative offering oil-phase compatibility and stability at neutral pH, essential for emulsions and lipid-based formulations where L-ascorbic acid is impractical. Functions as both a skin active after ester cleavage and a product antioxidant. Best use: product stabilisation in lipid phases (0.01–0.1%) or as skin active in oil-serum or lipid-based formulations (0.1–0.5%). Synergistic with alpha-tocopherol in vitamin E regeneration network. No regulatory restrictions. The EU classifies Ascorbyl Palmitate as "permitted". Safety rating: EXCELLENT. 7 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database. This ingredient has been reviewed by cir.

Is Ascorbyl Palmitate allowed in the EU?

Ascorbyl Palmitate EU regulatory status: permitted. Maximum allowed concentration: 1%. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Ascorbyl Palmitate do in cosmetics?

Ascorbyl Palmitate functions as: Lipophilic antioxidant; ester of ascorbic acid and palmitic acid; product stabiliser; skin-conditioning agent; converted to ascorbic acid after ester cleavage by skin esterases. It is classified as a Antioxidant in our database. CAS number: 137-66-6.

What is the Margin of Safety for Ascorbyl Palmitate?

adequate The Margin of Safety (MoS) is calculated using SCCS methodology. A MoS above 100 is generally considered safe. Use the MoS Calculator tool to calculate MoS for your specific formulation and product category.

What is the NOAEL for Ascorbyl Palmitate?

The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Ascorbyl Palmitate is 125 mg/kg bw/day based on a Chronic study via oral route in rat. A total of 7 study endpoints are available. Source: COSMOS_DB.

Compliance Tools

Check Ascorbyl Palmitate compliance across multiple jurisdictions:

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82 Allergen Checker
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Substance Compliance
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MoS Calculator
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Heavy Metal Limits
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