Database/Emollient/Methyl Palmitate
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Methyl Palmitate natural?

Mostly. Palmitic acid is a natural oleochemical fatty acid; the methyl group comes from petrochemical methanol.

INCI nameMethyl Palmitate
CAS112-39-0
FormulaC17H34O2 · 270.5 Da
FunctionEmollient · Skin Conditioning
FeedstockMade by esterifying palmitic acid, typically sourced from…

How we scored it

Palmitic acid 256 (natural, oleochemical) esterified with methanol 32 (petrochemical); fragments 239 natural/31 synthetic, 239/270=0.89.
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.

Where it comes from

Made by esterifying palmitic acid, typically sourced from palm or coconut oil, with methanol derived from natural gas or petrochemicals. This is the standard commercial route.

In plain English

An emollient made from palm- or coconut-derived palmitic acid combined with methanol. It is used to smooth skin and can also contribute a light scent.

CosIng definition: Methyl palmitate

Natural alternatives with the same function

Acacia Dealbata Flower Wax 100% natural origin

A soft wax from mimosa flowers used to condition skin and add emollience. It is derived directly from…

 Acrocomia Aculeata Seed Butter 100% natural origin

A solid plant fat obtained from the seeds of the macauba palm, a South American tree, used to…

 Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract 100% natural origin

An extract made from kiwi fruit, used in cosmetics as a skin-conditioning and softening ingredient. Comes directly from…

 Actinidia Chinensis Seed Oil 100% natural origin

A plant oil pressed from kiwi seeds, used to soften and condition skin. It's a natural vegetable oil…

 Adansonia Digitata Fruit Extract 100% natural origin

An extract of baobab fruit, from the African baobab tree. Used as an emollient to soften and smooth…

 Adansonia Digitata Oil 100% natural origin

A rich vegetable oil pressed from the baobab tree's fruit pulp and leaves. Used to soften and condition…

Structure

2D structure of Methyl Palmitate

methyl hexadecanoate

PubChem CID 8181 ↗

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. 2Methyl Palmitate. PubChem CID 8181. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3METHYL PALMITATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4METHYL PALMITATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=METHYL%20PALMITATE