Octyl palmitate

Octyl palmitate (CAS 16958-85-3) is a fatty acid ester derived from palmitic acid and octanol, commercially available under trade names including Neoderm OP, Pelemol OP, and Estol 1543. It carries no assigned E-code and is also referred to as octyl hexadecanoate in technical and regulatory documentation.

In personal care formulations, octyl palmitate functions as an emollient and skin-conditioning carrier, reducing the greasy feel of heavier oils while improving spreadability in creams and lotions. In pharmaceutical topical preparations, it serves as a plasticizer and solvent for active ingredients, enhancing membrane penetration and film flexibility in transdermal delivery systems.

Octyl palmitate is supplied in solid form and is subject to REACH registration requirements for European market compliance. Procurement teams should confirm supplier documentation includes a current Safety Data Sheet and, where applicable, cosmetic-grade certification aligned with ISO 16128 natural origin indexing standards.