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Ethyl Macadamiate

What Ethyl Macadamiate is & what it does

Ethyl Macadamiate is an ester made from the fatty acids of macadamia seed oil combined with ethyl alcohol. In sunscreens and skincare it works as a lightweight emollient that softens skin and gives products a smooth, dry-touch feel. It is often chosen as a non-greasy alternative to heavier plant oils.

Is Ethyl Macadamiate comedogenic or does it clog pores?

Ethyl Macadamiate is generally marketed as a lightweight, dry-touch emollient and is often described as low on the comedogenic scale, but individual skin reactions vary. It tends to feel less heavy than many plant oils. If you are acne-prone, patch testing a new product is a sensible step.

What does Ethyl Macadamiate do in skincare?

Ethyl Macadamiate is an emollient ester derived from macadamia oil. It softens and smooths the skin and gives products a light, silky, non-greasy finish. In sunscreens it is often used to improve spreadability and feel.

Is Ethyl Macadamiate natural or synthetic?

It is a nature-derived ester: the fatty acids come from macadamia seed oil, which are then combined with ethyl alcohol to form the ester. This makes it a processed ingredient with a natural origin. It is sometimes called naturally derived rather than purely natural.

Sunscreens with Ethyl Macadamiate

We rate 32 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:

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