What is Octyl Palmitate?
Chemically, Octyl Palmitate (INCI name: Ethylhexyl Palmitate) is a synthetic emollient ester. Also labelled ethylhexyl palmitate, a silky dry-touch emollient common in sunscreens and primers. Rated 4/5 for pore-clogging.
You may see it on labels as Octyl Palmitate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, 2-Ethylhexyl Palmitate, so it can hide under more than one name in an ingredient list.
Where Octyl Palmitate shows up
Octyl Palmitate is commonly formulated into lotions, sunscreens, primers, and colour cosmetics, where it adds a smooth, non-greasy slip. Separately from clogging, its irritancy is rated 1/5 — low, so it's unlikely to sting or sensitise on its own.
Is Octyl Palmitate bad for acne-prone skin?
If you are acne-prone, Octyl Palmitate is one to watch — especially when it appears in the first few ingredients, which means it's present at higher concentration. Lower down a long ingredient list, its practical impact drops considerably.
Note for fungal-acne (malassezia) sufferers: Octyl Palmitate is commonly avoided in fungal-acne routines, since it falls into the fatty-acid or ester families the yeast can feed on. The evidence there is looser than for comedogenicity — see our fungal-acne checker for context.
Non-comedogenic alternatives
If you're avoiding Octyl Palmitate, these lower-risk ingredients serve a similar role and are gentler on pore-prone skin:
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride — rated 1/5 (Low risk).
- Squalane — rated 1/5 (Low risk).