sucrose palmitate

TL;DR. This ingredient is a mild nonionic emulsifier and co-emulsifier, helping oil and water stay blended in creams, lotions, cleansers, and sprayable emulsions. It can also improve skin feel and support gentle cleansing when paired with other surfactants.

What does sucrose palmitate do in a cosmetic formula?

This ingredient is a mild nonionic emulsifier and co-emulsifier, helping oil and water stay blended in creams, lotions, cleansers, and sprayable emulsions. It can also improve skin feel and support gentle cleansing when paired with other surfactants.

Is sucrose palmitate clean?

From a clean-beauty perspective, it is generally well tolerated, not a common allergen, and does not sit on major restricted lists. The main quality check is manufacturing purity, including low residual solvents, catalysts, or unreacted starting materials.

Is sucrose palmitate sustainable?

This material is typically made from renewable carbohydrate and fatty-acid feedstocks, and it is expected to biodegrade readily. The fatty-acid portion may come from palm or coconut supply chains, so traceability and certified sourcing matter.

Is sucrose palmitate COSMOS-approved?

It is generally permitted under COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic when made from approved natural-origin feedstocks and compliant processing. Its profile fits Green Chemistry reasonably well because it uses renewable inputs, has low persistence, and can be made through relatively mild esterification chemistry.

How does sucrose palmitate work chemically?

The molecule is a nonionic ester with a carbohydrate-based hydrophilic head and a C16 saturated fatty chain, giving it high-HLB emulsifying behavior suited to oil-in-water systems. Typical use is often around 0.5% to 5%, with best performance in mildly acidic to neutral formulas and reduced stability under strong acid or alkaline hydrolysis conditions.

Last updated 2026-05-13