Retinyl Palmitate vs Retinol: What's the Difference?
Retinyl palmitate is a form of vitamin A, but it is not retinol. They're related, not interchangeable, and a percentage of one can't be compared with a percentage of the other. Despite their names, our Retinol Eye Cream and Night Repair Cream contain retinyl palmitate, and we'd rather you know exactly what that means.
What is retinyl palmitate?
Retinyl palmitate is an ester of retinol and palmitic acid. Vitamin A comes in several forms used in cosmetics.
Retinol is the alcohol form, retinyl palmitate and retinyl acetate are esters of it, and tretinoin (retinoic acid) is a prescription medicine. For the full explainer on retinol, read What Is Retinol?
What does retinyl palmitate do for skin?
It's used in cosmetics as a vitamin A source. We won't promise skin results from it, because the research is lab and animal work rather than studies of people using a product.
A study in mice found that topically applied retinyl palmitate penetrated the skin and was partly hydrolysed to retinol. In a 2024 laboratory study on a 3-D human skin model, retinol was converted to retinoic acid, while no retinoic acid was detected after retinyl palmitate treatment, and retinyl palmitate deposited in the skin at a lower level than retinol or retinal.
Why we use retinyl palmitate
Retinyl palmitate is the vitamin A ingredient in our Retinol Eye Cream with Vitamin C & Peptides and our Retinol & Peptide Night Repair Cream. Our formulator uses it as the vitamin A in both creams.
Our view: the name on the front of a product shouldn't leave you guessing about the label on the back. Both ingredient lists say retinyl palmitate, so that's what we call it.
Who is retinyl palmitate good for?
Retinyl palmitate is sometimes chosen by people who want a vitamin A step that may be less intense than retinol, including people new to vitamin A. That's not the same as "no reaction". Vitamin A products can cause dryness, tightness or irritation in some people, especially if you start with too much, too often.
Take extra care if your skin is sensitive, reactive or recovering. If you're pregnant, breastfeeding or planning a pregnancy, check with your doctor or pharmacist before using any vitamin A product. Vitamin A from supplements and food also adds to your total intake.
How do you use it?
Follow the directions on the product, because format and the rest of the formula change the answer. As a general approach:
- Patch test first.
- Start with fewer uses than you think you need, and build only if your skin stays comfortable.
- Apply at night, then use a moisturiser.
- Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen every morning.
- If your skin feels dry, tight or irritated, scale back or pause.
What does it pair with?
Retinyl palmitate is commonly formulated with hydrating and moisturising ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, glycerine and panthenol, and with antioxidants such as vitamin E. Take care stacking any vitamin A product with strong exfoliating acids in the same routine, and follow the product directions.
What does the research say?
The short version: early evidence, from lab and animal work.
- Spectral and mass characterization of kinetic conversion from retinoids to retinoic acid in an in vitro 3-D human skin equivalent model (Kim et al., Eur J Pharm Sci, 2024): retinoic acid was formed from retinol and retinal but not detected after retinyl palmitate in this laboratory model.
- Levels of retinyl palmitate and retinol in the skin of SKH-1 mice topically treated with retinyl palmitate (Yan et al., Toxicol Ind Health, 2007): topical retinyl palmitate was partially hydrolysed to retinol in mouse skin.
- SCCS revised opinion on Vitamin A (retinol, retinyl acetate, retinyl palmitate), SCCS/1639/21 (European Commission, 2022): limits in retinol equivalents and the cumulative exposure finding.
These are animal and laboratory findings, not results from people using a product. The SCCS opinion names retinyl palmitate directly.
Safety and regulation
The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) reviewed vitamin A (retinol, retinyl acetate and retinyl palmitate) as a group and expressed limits in retinol equivalents (RE). In its 2022 revised opinion (SCCS/1639/21), it considered vitamin A safe at 0.05% RE in body lotion and 0.3% RE in other leave-on and rinse-off products. It could not conclude on the contribution of cosmetics to total vitamin A exposure, and found that food and supplements may already push the most exposed 5% of consumers above the upper limit.
Retinyl palmitate percentages are not directly comparable with retinol percentages. A label that lists retinyl palmitate at a given percentage is not a retinol product at that strength.
Retinyl palmitate in Dope Skin Co products
It's the vitamin A ingredient in these two products:
- Retinol Eye Cream with Vitamin C & Peptides (listed as "Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A)")
- Retinol & Peptide Night Repair Cream (listed as "Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A Derivative)")
We make our products in-house in Sydney. See each product page for directions.
Not sure where to start? Take our skincare quiz.
Frequently asked questions
Is retinyl palmitate the same as retinol?
No. Retinyl palmitate is an ester of retinol and a different ingredient. See What Is Retinol?.
Is retinyl palmitate gentler than retinol?
It may be less intense, since in a laboratory skin model retinyl palmitate did not produce detectable retinoic acid the way retinol did. That's not a measure of how a product feels on skin, though, and any vitamin A product can irritate.
Can I use retinyl palmitate in the morning?
Check the product directions. Most vitamin A products are used at night, with sunscreen the next morning.
Can I use retinyl palmitate with vitamin C?
Many formulas combine them. Follow the product directions, and patch test.
Can I use retinyl palmitate if I'm pregnant?
Speak with your doctor or pharmacist before using any vitamin A product.
Can sensitive skin use retinol-type products?
It depends on the person and product. See Can Sensitive Skin Use Retinol?.
Related ingredients
Sources
- Kim et al. Spectral and mass characterization of kinetic conversion from retinoids to retinoic acid in an in vitro 3-D human skin equivalent model. Eur J Pharm Sci 2024. Link
- Yan et al. Levels of retinyl palmitate and retinol in the skin of SKH-1 mice topically treated with retinyl palmitate. Toxicol Ind Health 2007. Link
- SCCS. Revised opinion on Vitamin A (retinol, retinyl acetate, retinyl palmitate), SCCS/1639/21. European Commission, 2022. Link
