You are tuning a lipstick that sets up too stiff and skips on application, or a foundation whose pigment looks patchy until it is over-worked. Or you need a light, oxidatively stable oil to carry an oil-soluble active and a fragrance without leaving a heavy film. Isopropyl palmitate (IPP) is one of the esters a formulator reaches for in all three cases — a light emollient that wets pigment well, spreads fast, and dissolves a lot, with a touch more cushion than its lighter cousin isopropyl myristate.
The short version: Isopropyl palmitate (IPP, INCI Isopropyl Palmitate, CAS 142-91-6) is a light emollient ester made by esterifying isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol) with palmitic acid, a 16-carbon saturated fatty acid. In a formulation it gives a light, non-greasy, low-residue feel with slightly more slip and cushion than isopropyl myristate, high spreadability, strong solvency for oil-soluble actives, fragrance, and pigments, and it lowers oil-phase viscosity and reduces the soaping (white-streak) effect in emulsions. Its saturated structure makes it oxidatively stable. It appears across skin care, antiperspirants and deodorants, color cosmetics, hair care, bath oils, topical pharmaceutical vehicles, and industrial uses. Everything here describes physical and formulation behavior, not skin-health benefits; confirm the grade you need (for example USP/NF) and validate performance on your own system.
What isopropyl palmitate is
Isopropyl palmitate is the isopropyl ester of palmitic acid — one fatty-acid homolog heavier than isopropyl myristate (a C16 acid versus IPM’s C14). That single extra pair of carbons is what shifts the feel: IPP is marginally heavier, more cushioned, and slightly slower to spread than IPM, while staying firmly in the light, dry, non-greasy class of esters. It is a clear, low-viscosity, nearly odorless liquid, insoluble in water and miscible with oils and most organic solvents.
| Property | Typical value |
|---|---|
| INCI name | Isopropyl Palmitate |
| CAS / EC number | 142-91-6 / 205-571-1 |
| Molecular formula | C19H38O2 |
| Molecular weight | ~298.5 g/mol |
| Appearance | Clear, colorless to pale, low-viscosity liquid |
| Odor | Faint to nearly odorless |
| Density (20 °C) | ~0.85 g/cm³ |
| Refractive index (20 °C) | ~1.436–1.440 |
| Flash point | >100 °C |
| Water solubility | Insoluble; miscible with most organic solvents and oils |
Values are typical/nominal references, not a specification; the Certificate of Analysis (CoA) governs the lot you buy, and hazard and handling data come from the current Safety Data Sheet (SDS).
How IPP behaves in a formulation
IPP earns its place through four physical behaviors, not through any biological effect. First, feel and spreadability: it spreads quickly and dries down to a light, smooth, low-residue finish with a little more cushion than IPM — enough to soften the dry, fast feel of the lighter esters without turning greasy. Second, solvency: it dissolves oil-soluble actives, UV filters, fragrance, and many pigments and resins, which makes it both a carrier and a processing aid. Third, viscosity control: blended into an oil phase, it thins the system and improves flow and pumpability. Fourth, pigment wetting and lay-down: its solvency and slip help disperse and evenly deposit pigments, which is why it is a staple in color cosmetics. It also reduces soaping, the temporary white film that some emulsions show on rub-out, and its saturated backbone gives good oxidative stability and a long shelf life. The trade-off versus IPM is the mirror image of the feel difference: IPP is a touch less volatile and less aggressively penetrating, and a slightly weaker fast-spreader, in exchange for more cushion and substantivity.
Where isopropyl palmitate is used
| Application area | What IPP does (formulation function) |
|---|---|
| Skin care (lotions, creams, sunscreens) | Light emollient and spreadability aid; lowers oil-phase viscosity; reduces soaping; solvent for oil-soluble UV filters and actives |
| Color cosmetics (lipstick, foundation, makeup) | Pigment wetting and dispersing; slip and even lay-down; light carrier and gloss in anhydrous and emulsion systems |
| Antiperspirants and deodorants | Solvent and carrier for actives and fragrance; light, low-residue feel; helps reduce tackiness and white residue in sticks and roll-ons |
| Hair care (conditioners, styling, oils) | Slip and spreadability; solvent for fragrance and oil-soluble actives; light, non-greasy after-feel |
| Bath and body oils | Low-viscosity carrier; light feel; solubilizes fragrance in anhydrous oil blends |
| Topical pharmaceutical vehicles | Nonaqueous vehicle and diluent for oils, oily solutions, ointments, and creams (USP/NF grade) |
| Industrial, leather, and textile | Lubricant and antistatic in textile, plastics, and rubber processing; leather treatment; carrier and dispersant in nonaqueous systems |
Selecting IPP against other emollient esters
The ester you pick sets the feel, the spread, and how much it dissolves. IPP sits just heavier than IPM and lighter than the cushioned esters — a useful middle when IPM feels too dry and a triglyceride feels too rich.
| Ester (INCI) | Build | Feel and character | Typical formulation role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isopropyl palmitate | C3 alcohol + C16 acid | Light, dry, low residue, with a little cushion | Spreadability + solvency aid; pigment wetting in color cosmetics |
| Isopropyl myristate | C3 alcohol + C14 acid | Very light, fast-spreading, dry, lowest residue | Spreadability and solvency aid; oil-phase viscosity reduction |
| Isopropyl isostearate | C3 alcohol + branched C18 acid | Light but more cushioned; branched, oxidatively stable | Emollient with more substantivity; pigment wetting |
| Caprylic/capric triglyceride | C8/C10 triglyceride | Light, silky, more cushioned than IPP | Stable carrier oil; solubilizer for oil-soluble actives |
| Isononyl isononanoate | Branched C9 + branched C9 | Very light, dry, fast-spreading, low odor | Dry-touch light emollient; spreadability |
| Cetyl ethylhexanoate (cetyl octanoate) | C16 alcohol + C8 acid | Light to medium, smooth, low tack | Versatile spreading emollient; pigment dispersant |
A practical way to read the table: move down the list as you want more cushion and substantivity, up the list as you want a lighter, faster, drier touch and stronger solvency. The broader trade-offs across this family are laid out in the cosmetic emollient esters selection guide.
Buying isopropyl palmitate in bulk
RawSource supplies isopropyl palmitate in bulk — drums, totes, and IBCs — from domestic US stock for short lead times, to personal-care, pharmaceutical, and industrial manufacturers. Specify the grade you need: a cosmetic/technical grade, or a USP/NF grade where a pharmacopoeial monograph is required. Confirm assay, color, acid value, and any pharmacopoeial requirements on the RFQ; the CoA documents the lot you receive, and the SDS covers handling. Tell us your application and target volume for a current quote, and request samples to validate feel and performance on your own system. For the lighter sister ester, see the isopropyl myristate guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is isopropyl palmitate (IPP)?
Isopropyl palmitate (INCI Isopropyl Palmitate, CAS 142-91-6) is a light emollient ester made by esterifying isopropyl alcohol with palmitic acid, a 16-carbon saturated fatty acid. It is a clear, low-viscosity, nearly odorless liquid used as an emollient, solvent, and spreadability aid.
What is isopropyl palmitate used for?
It is used as a light, non-greasy emollient and spreadability aid, a solvent for oil-soluble actives and fragrance, a viscosity reducer for oil phases, and a pigment-wetting aid in color cosmetics. It appears across skin care, color cosmetics, antiperspirants/deodorants, hair care, bath oils, topical pharmaceutical vehicles, and industrial applications.
What is the difference between isopropyl palmitate and isopropyl myristate?
Both are isopropyl esters of a saturated fatty acid; IPP uses C16 palmitic acid and IPM uses C14 myristic acid. The extra two carbons make IPP slightly heavier, more cushioned, and a touch slower to spread, while IPM is lighter, faster-spreading, drier, and a somewhat stronger solvent. Many formulators choose between them — or blend them — to dial in feel.
Is isopropyl palmitate a solvent or an emollient?
Both. It functions as an emollient (light, smooth feel and slip) and as a solvent/carrier for oil-soluble actives, fragrance, and pigments. Those are physical and formulation roles, not skin-health claims.
What does “penetration enhancer” mean for isopropyl palmitate?
In a formulation context it is a solvency and spreadability descriptor — IPP can help carry and distribute oil-soluble ingredients across a surface. It is not a statement that IPP delivers a drug or produces any physiological effect; validate any delivery performance in your finished product.
What grades of isopropyl palmitate are available?
IPP is available in cosmetic/technical grades and in a pharmacopoeial USP/NF grade for applications that require a monograph. Specify the grade and any assay, color, or acid-value limits on the RFQ; the CoA confirms the lot.
Editorial note. This article is general technical guidance for industrial and professional buyers and formulators. Properties and uses are typical, generalized references to validate for your own application; the Certificate of Analysis governs the grade you buy. Descriptions of feel, spreadability, solvency, and pigment wetting are physical and formulation behaviors, not skin-health, comedogenic, or efficacy claims, and nothing here represents the product as “natural,” “clean,” or “safe.” Always consult the current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) before handling, and confirm regulatory and pharmacopoeial status for your application and jurisdiction. RawSource makes no warranty, express or implied, and assumes no liability for use of this information.
