Dextrin Palmitate ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is an oil-phase gellant and viscosity modifier that builds structure in anhydrous oils, balms, sticks, and emulsions. It also helps suspend pigments and improve film feel.
What does Dextrin Palmitate do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is an oil-phase gellant and viscosity modifier that builds structure in anhydrous oils, balms, sticks, and emulsions. It also helps suspend pigments and improve film feel.
Is Dextrin Palmitate clean?
From a clean-standard lens, this ingredient is typically low-irritation and not a common allergen or restricted-list trigger. Main scrutiny is trace processing residues and responsible fatty-acid sourcing rather than routine skin-safety concerns.
Is Dextrin Palmitate sustainable?
It is commonly made from plant starch reacted with a long-chain fatty acid, often from vegetable oil supply chains. The structure is expected to biodegrade through ester and carbohydrate breakdown, while sourcing transparency matters most when the fatty portion comes from palm.
Is Dextrin Palmitate COSMOS-approved?
It can be permitted under COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic formulas when made from approved natural-origin feedstocks using allowed esterification chemistry, with certification depending on supplier documentation. Its Green Chemistry fit is strongest when renewable starch and certified fatty-acid inputs are used, with controlled solvents and readily biodegradable residues.
How does Dextrin Palmitate work chemically?
The molecule is a hydrophobically modified carbohydrate ester, with a polysaccharide backbone carrying long C16 acyl chains that self-associate in oils to create a thixotropic gel network. It is typically used at about 1 to 10% in oil gels, sticks, and pigment systems, is not meaningfully pH-active in anhydrous use, and performs best when fully dispersed with heat and compatible low-polarity emollients.
Last updated 2026-05-13