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Ascorbyl Palmitate

What Ascorbyl Palmitate is & what it does

An oil-soluble vitamin C ester that provides antioxidant protection and is more stable than pure vitamin C. It also helps protect the formula's oils from oxidation.

What is Ascorbyl Palmitate and what does it do in sunscreen?

Ascorbyl Palmitate is an oil-soluble form of vitamin C, made by joining ascorbic acid to palmitic acid (a fatty acid). In a sunscreen it acts as an antioxidant: it helps mop up the free radicals that UV light and pollution generate, and it also protects the formula's own oils from going rancid. Because it is oil-soluble and more stable than pure vitamin C, it blends easily into the oily phase of a cream or lotion.

Is Ascorbyl Palmitate safe?

Yes. It is a widely used, well-tolerated antioxidant and a more stable, gentler form of vitamin C than pure ascorbic acid. It is used at low levels in cosmetics and is not a common irritant or sensitizer for most people. As a vitamin C derivative it has a long track record in skincare and sunscreen.

Is Ascorbyl Palmitate the same as vitamin C?

It is a derivative of vitamin C, not pure vitamin C. Ascorbyl Palmitate is ascorbic acid bonded to a fatty acid, which makes it oil-soluble and more stable in a formula, but the skin has to convert it before it can act like vitamin C. It is valued mainly for its antioxidant role in protecting the formula and skin, rather than as a high-strength vitamin C treatment.

Does Ascorbyl Palmitate clog pores?

Generally no. It is used in small amounts as an antioxidant rather than as a heavy oil or wax, and it is not one of the classic pore-clogging ingredients. If you are breaking out, the richer emollients and oils elsewhere in a formula are far more likely the cause.

What else is Ascorbyl Palmitate called?

On a label it appears under its INCI name, Ascorbyl Palmitate. You may also see it described as an oil-soluble vitamin C ester or a vitamin C derivative. As a food antioxidant the same compound carries the E-number E304.

Sunscreens with Ascorbyl Palmitate

We rate 459 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:

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