Database/Binding/Isopropyl Palmitate
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Isopropyl Palmitate natural?

Mostly. The palmitic acid half is natural oleochemical; the isopropanol half is petrochemical, giving a mass-weighted 0.80.

INCI nameIsopropyl Palmitate
CAS142-91-6
FormulaC19H38O2 · 298.5 Da
FunctionBinding · Emollient
FeedstockMade by esterifying natural palmitic acid, from palm…

How we scored it

Natural palmitoyl C16H31O 239 Da; petrochemical isopropoxy C3H7O 59 Da (from isopropanol) → 239/298 = 0.80.
What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

How it’s made

Fischer esterification of palmitic acid with isopropanol. Each curved arrow moves one electron pair, and the film ends on the score above.

Where it comes from

Made by esterifying natural palmitic acid, from palm oil, with petrochemical isopropanol. Isopropanol has no significant natural cosmetic-grade source.

In plain English

A lightweight oil used to make lotions feel silky and absorb quickly. It blends a natural palm fatty acid with a synthetic alcohol, so it is mostly but not entirely plant-derived.

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Structure

2D structure of Isopropyl Palmitate

propan-2-yl hexadecanoate

PubChem CID 8907 ↗

References

  1. 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
  2. 2Isopropyl Palmitate. PubChem CID 8907. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3ISOPROPYL PALMITATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4ISOPROPYL PALMITATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=ISOPROPYL%20PALMITATE