What is "Ascorbyl Palmitate" and what is its utility?

The vitamin C is available in various active forms, including ascorbyl palmitate (INCI: Ascorbyl Palmitate). This is a synthetic fatty acid ester with lipophilic properties, formed from ascorbic acid and palmitic acid, a saturated fatty acid.

Ascorbyl palmitate has been specifically developed to overcome the stability and permeability issues of vitamin C, while preserving its benefits. Indeed, although it is one of the most powerful antioxidants, vitamin C quickly oxidises when exposed to light, thus no longer producing the expected results and causing undesirable effects.

Ascorbyl palmitate is often used to help stabilise more sensitive skincare ingredients, such as pure Vitamin C.

It is also known to be effective at a neutral pH, unlike pure vitamin C which requires a pH lower than 3.5 to enhance its stability and facilitate its penetration, thus making ascorbyl palmitate easier to formulate and less irritating.

"Ascorbyl Palmitate": How can it assist in a formulation?

Present in over a thousand cosmetic formulations (lip balms, after-sun lotions, shampoos, facial serums, etc.), ascorbyl palmitate is believed to have numerous beneficial functions for the skin.

• Antioxidant agent: it helps to protect the skin from oxidative damage caused by free radicals, which are generated by solar radiation, smoking, diet, environmental pollution, etc. It reduces cellular levels of free radicals in a dose-dependent manner through a process of transfer and/or electron donation. However, its antioxidant activity has only been demonstrated in in vitro models, but not in vivo.

  However, a study has shown that the use of ascorbic acid-6-palmitate (10 to 100 μM) during the day would promote the generation of oxidised lipid molecules (lipid peroxidation) induced by UV rays, which would damage cells. This study suggests that, despite its antioxidant properties, ascorbyl palmitate could potentially enhance skin damage through this mechanism following UVB irradiation. However, this is an in vitro study, which means it was conducted on cultures of human keratinocytes and not on actual people.

  Furthermore, another study has revealed that this amphiphilic antioxidant binds to the surface of human erythrocytes, where it helps to protect the cellular membrane from damage caused by peroxidative agents originating from the outside, thereby strengthening the cell's defences against external oxidative stress. As a result, additional studies in vivo are necessary to provide further insight.

  Given that sunscreens are only partially effective at blocking the free radicals produced by UV exposure, the addition of antioxidants, such as ascorbyl palmitate, could help to enhance the efficacy of sun protection.

• Anti-erythema function: An initial study was conducted in which individuals who had suffered sunburn and were treated with topical ascorbyl palmitate (5%) demonstrated a 50% reduction in redness earlier compared to areas that had not received it. In a second experiment, the forearms of 5 subjects were left unprotected (controls) or received a local application of 3% ascorbyl palmitate prior to UVB exposure. Compared to untreated skin, the absence of erythema or a decrease in erythema was observed after pre-treatment with ascorbyl palmitate. These data demonstrate its photoprotective nature, probably
  attributed to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Compared to other forms of Vitamin C, Ascorbyl Palmitate is believed to have moisturising properties due to its palmitate component.

• Melanin production inhibitor (anti-melanogenesis): a single-centre study examining the synergistic effect of ascorbyl palmitate and sodium ascorbyl phosphate reported a significant decrease in melanin content after 12 weeks of application. It is hypothesised that they interact with copper ions at the active sites of tyrosinase, the main enzyme responsible for the conversion of tyrosine into melanin, thus inhibiting its action. By reducing melanin production, these vitamin C derivatives could potentially help to lighten brown spots. However, although it has been demonstrated that ascorbyl palmitate can potentially inhibit melanin production, studies remain limited and may not be as effective as other active ingredients.

A clinical study on 11 adult women has shown that the combined use of ascorbyl palmitate and sodium ascorbyl phosphate could potentially reduce the skin's sebum content, due to their ability to inhibit 5-α-reductase.

Can Ascorbyl Palmitate be safely used on human skin?

Widely approved by regulatory bodies such as the FDA, ascorbyl palmitate is among the substances recognised as safe and non-irritating for most skin types in commonly used concentrations. Although data agrees that it has a lower irritant potential, some individuals may experience adverse reactions.

In rare instances, it may cause skin irritation, erythema and/or skin dryness, particularly in individuals with sensitive skin or those suffering from a skin condition. As a result, it is advised to exercise a degree of caution before using this active ingredient. It is therefore recommended to perform a patch test on a small area of the body before using widely products containing ascorbyl palmitate.

Ascorbyl palmitate is synthesised through the esterification of ascorbic acid, derived from the fermentation of corn, with palmitic acid extracted from palm oil. It is present in our shimmering dry body oil.