Is Isopropyl Palmitate safe in cosmetics?
Isopropyl Palmitate has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Isopropyl Palmitate
Also known as: 4-02-00-01167, BRN 1786567, EINECS 205-571-1, Plymouth IPP, UNII-8CRQ2TH63M (+14 more)
INCI: ISOPROPYL PALMITATE
Isopropyl Palmitate (CAS 142-91-6) is a cosmetic emollient functioning as Isopropyl ester of palmitic acid (C16:0). Lightweight-to-moderate emollient. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data.
Function
Isopropyl ester of palmitic acid (C16:0). Lightweight-to-moderate emollient with good spreading properties. Functions as emollient, skin-conditioning agent, and formulation vehicle. Synthetically defined with excellent batch-to-batch consistency. Slightly heavier sensory profile than isopropyl myristate (IPM, C14) due to longer C16 chain.
Editorial assessment
GOOD
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
CIR reviewed and considered safe at current use concentrations. Slightly heavier sensory profile than IPM. Moderate comedogenic concern — not preferred in acne-prone facial formulations. Good spreading properties make it useful in body lotions, sunscreens, and hair care applications. FDA no specific restrictions.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Isopropyl Palmitate.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Dermal Penetration Profile
Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of Isopropyl Palmitate, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.
Absorption %
4-10%
Penetration Level
stratum-corneum
Penetration Depth
stratum corneum
Molecular Weight
298.5 Da
Log P
8.2
Systemic Absorption
minimal
Topical Bioavailability
2-8%
Safety Margin Factor
low
Vehicle Dependent
Yes — absorption varies by formulation
Source: CIR Expert Panel
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
3 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LD50 | >5000 mg/kg | Mouse | oral | - | ECHA |
| LD50 | >5000 mg/kg | Rabbit | dermal | - | ChemIDplus |
| LD50 | >5000 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
HRIPT Human Patch Test Studies
1 human repeat insult patch test aggregated from dermatological literature.
| Test Type | N | Sensitized | Dose µg/cm² | NESIL µg/cm² | Potency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HMT | - | 0 | 5400 | - | - |
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
10,000 - 100,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Typical Use Concentrations
Reported concentration ranges per product category from SCCS/CIR/industry sources.
| Product Category | Typical Range | Max Reported | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Face Cream | 2–5 | 15 | CIR Safety Assessment |
| Body Lotion | 3–7 | 18 | CIR Safety Assessment |
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Anti-static agent
Binder
Deodorizer
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Lubricating agent
Softener and conditioner
Solvent
Viscosity modifier
Regulatory List Membership (6)
EU Regulated in Personal Care
EU Restricted for Children (Cosmetics)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
EPA Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Consumer Product Chemical
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Isopropyl Palmitate — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
emollient-ester
comedogenic-risk
not-for-acne-prone
cir-assessed
synthetically-defined
spreading-agent
eu_children_restricted
epa_safer_alternative
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Isopropyl Palmitate by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
6
Lowest NOAEL
1000 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
5500 mg/kg bw/day
ECHA
Known Synonyms
4-02-00-01167
BRN 1786567
EINECS 205-571-1
Plymouth IPP
UNII-8CRQ2TH63M
1-Methylethyl ester1-methylethyl hexandecanoate
2-Propyl hexadecanoate
Deltyl
Emcol-ip
Estol 103
Hexadecanoic acid isopropyl ester
Hexadecanoic acid, isopropyl ester
Hexadecanoic acidisopropyl N-hexadecanoate
Isopal
Isopropyl ester of hexadecanoic acid
Isopropyl palmitate (NF)
Ja-fa ipp
Ja-fa ippkessco
Kessco isopropyl palmitate
Chemical Function
Softener and conditioner
Deodorizer
Fragrance
Binder
Solvent
Regulatory Lists
Europe
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
detected; Europe; Other direct contact consumer goods
children; Europe; Personal care
children; Europe; Personal care - specialized bath products - bath salts
children; Europe; Personal care - general moisturizing - hand/body lotion
Europe; Personal care - liniment
Europe; Personal care
Europe; Personal care
IFRA Transparency
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
SCIL (9/2019)
consumer_product
Europe; Other direct contact consumer goods
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Compound
ISOPROPYL PALMITATE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL139055
Max Phase
-1
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Isopropyl Palmitate allowed in the EU?
Isopropyl Palmitate EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Isopropyl Palmitate do in cosmetics?
Isopropyl Palmitate functions as: Isopropyl ester of palmitic acid (C16:0). Lightweight-to-moderate emollient with good spreading properties. Functions as emollient, skin-conditioning agent, and formulation vehicle. Synthetically defined with excellent batch-to-batch consistency. Slightly heavier sensory profile than isopropyl myristate (IPM, C14) due to longer C16 chain.. It is classified as a Emollient in our database. CAS number: 142-91-6.
Is Isopropyl Palmitate used outside cosmetics?
Isopropyl Palmitate also appears in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check Isopropyl Palmitate compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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Substance Compliance
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MoS Calculator
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Heavy Metal Limits
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