Glyceryl Caprylate in Skincare: What It Does and Why We Use It
Glyceryl caprylate is a quiet helper, not a hero. It conditions skin and gives a formula's preservation system a boost, and it does its best work as part of a team, never as the only line of defence.
What is glyceryl caprylate?
Glyceryl caprylate, also called monocaprylin, is made by joining glycerin to caprylic acid, an eight-carbon fatty acid. You will spot it on a label as Glyceryl Caprylate.
It belongs to a group the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) calls monoglyceryl monoesters. In its 2020 report the CIR Expert Panel reviewed 44 of them. Skin conditioning is their most common job.
What does glyceryl caprylate do for skin?
Two things. It conditions, which helps a formula leave skin feeling softer and smoother, and it helps support the product's preservation system. It does both as part of the whole formula, so it is not a treatment for any skin concern.
Why we use glyceryl caprylate
Glyceryl caprylate is in our Retinol & Peptide Night Repair Cream, alongside glyceryl undecylenate (another monoglyceryl monoester) and potassium sorbate. It doubles as an emollient and a preservative booster there.
A helper is exactly what it should be. The research suggests it is not strong enough to be a preservative on its own, so we would never describe it as one.
Who is glyceryl caprylate good for?
Most people who use ordinary skincare. If you have reacted to a product containing it, or your skin is irritated right now, stop using the product and patch test before you try again. Our patch testing guide shows you how.
How do you use it?
You use it by using the finished product as directed on the label.
What does it pair with?
No restrictions. Formulators team it with other ingredients that protect a product from microbes, like ethylhexylglycerin. Think of both as part of a preservation system rather than the system itself.
What does the research say?
Well reviewed for safety, and weak as a preservative on its own.
A 2010 lab study in the Journal of Oil Palm Research compared palm-based glyceryl monoesters with tea tree oil and potassium sorbate against four microbes. Monocaprylin, the same compound as glyceryl caprylate, showed low activity against E. coli and none against P. aeruginosa. The takeaway: do not think of it as a preservative by itself.
Is glyceryl caprylate safe?
The CIR Expert Panel concluded in its 2020 report that the 44 monoglyceryl monoesters it reviewed, including glyceryl caprylate and glyceryl undecylenate, are safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration. The report lists leave-on use levels for glyceryl caprylate from 0.001% to 1.5%. Those are reported use levels, not legal limits.
Not sure which routine fits your skin? Take the skincare quiz.
FAQ
Is glyceryl caprylate the same as caprylic/capric triglyceride?
No. Glyceryl caprylate has one fatty acid attached to glycerin. Caprylic/capric triglyceride has three, so the two behave differently in a formula.
Is glyceryl caprylate a preservative?
It is better described as a booster. In the 2010 lab study, monocaprylin had weak activity against some microbes on its own.
Is glyceryl caprylate safe?
The CIR Expert Panel found the monoglyceryl monoesters it reviewed safe in cosmetics under current practices of use and concentration.
Is it plant-derived?
It can be made from plant sources, but the ingredient name alone does not tell you. Ask the brand if the source matters to you.
Another preservation helper people often compare it with is caprylyl glycol, which our guide covers.
Related ingredients
Sources
- Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel. Safety Assessment of Monoglyceryl Monoesters as Used in Cosmetics. International Journal of Toxicology 2020;39(3_suppl):93S-126S. Full text
- Loo CH, et al. Testing of Glyceryl Monoesters for Their Anti-Microbial Susceptibility and Their Influence in Emulsions. Journal of Oil Palm Research 2010;22(3):846-855. Journal page
