Glyceryl Palmitate/Stearate

What Is It?

The glyceryl monoesters (Glyceryl Laurate, Glyceryl Laurate SE, Glyceryl Laurate/Oleate, Glyceryl Adipate, Glyceryl Alginate, Glyceryl Arachidate, Glyceryl Behenate, Glyceryl Caprate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Caprylate/Caprate, Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate, Glyceryl Cocoate, Glyceryl Collagenate, Glyceryl Erucate, Glyceryl Hydrogenated Rosinate, Glyceryl Hydrogenated Soyate, Glyceryl Hydroxystearate, Glyceryl Isopalmitate, Glyceryl Isostearate, Glyceryl Isostearate/Myristate, Glyceryl Isostearates, Glyceryl Lanolate, Glyceryl Linoleate, Glyceryl Linolenate, Glyceryl Montanate, Glyceryl Myristate, Glyceryl Isotridecanoate/Stearate/Adipate, Glyceryl Oleate SE, Glyceryl Oleate/Elaidate, Glyceryl Palmitate, Glyceryl Palmitate/Stearate, Glyceryl Palmitoleate, Gyceryl Pentadecanoate, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Glyceryl Rosinate, Glyceryl Sesquioleate, Glyceryl/Sorbitol Oleate/Hydroxystearate, Glyceryl Stearate/Acetate, Glyceryl Stearate/Maleate, Glyceryl Tallowate, Glyceryl Thiopropionate, Glyceryl Undecylenate) occur primarily as white to yellow oils or oily waxes. Ingredient names containing a “/”, such as Glyceryl Caprylate/Caprate, are mixtures of monoesters, Glyceryl Caprylate and Glyceryl Caprate. SE in the name means that it is a self-emulsifying grade that contains some sodium and/or potassium salts of the acid. Glyceryl monoesters are primarily used in the formulation of creams and lotions, moisturizers, and other skin care products, but glyceryl monoesters can also be found in permanent waves, deodorants, bath soaps, eye makeup and foundations.

Why Is It Used?

The following functions have been reported for the glyceryl monoesters.

Film formerIngredients that dry to form a thin coating on the skin, hair or nails. – Glyceryl Polyacrylate
Hair conditioning agentIngredients that enhance the appearance and feel of hair, by increasing hair body, suppleness, or sheen, or by improving the texture of hair that has been damaged physically or by chemical treatment. – Glyceryl Collagenate, Glyceryl Lanolate Hair waving and straightening agent – Glyceryl Thiopropionate
Reducing agentReducing agents are ingredients which during their reaction with oxidizing agents lose electrons. Reducing agents commonly contribute hydrogen to other substances. They can be used as antioxidants since they scavenge oxygen. In addition, reducing agents have the ability to split disulfide bonds in hair. – Glyceryl Thiopropionate
Skin-conditioning agent – emollient – Glyceryl Laurate, Glyceryl Laurate/Oleate, Glyceryl Adipate, Glyceryl Alginate, Glyceryl Arachidate, Glyceryl Arachidonate, Glyceryl Behenate, Glyceryl Caprate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Caprylate/Caprate, Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate, Glyceryl Cocoate, Glyceryl Collagenate, Glyceryl Erucate, Glyceryl Hydrogenated Rosinate, Glyceryl Hydrogenated Soyate, Glyceryl Hydroxystearate, Glyceryl Isopalmitate, Glyceryl Isostearate. Glyceryl Isostearate/Myristate, Glyceryl Isostearates, Glyceryl Lanolate, Glyceryl Linoleate, Glyceryl Linolenate, Glyceryl Montanate, Glyceryl Myristate, Glyceryl Isotridecanoate/Stearate/Adipate, Glyceryl Oleate/Elaidate, Glyceryl Palmitate, Glyceryl Palmitate/Stearate, Glyceryl Palmitoleate, Glyceryl Rosinate, Glyceryl Sesquioleate, Glyceryl/Sorbitol Oleate/Hydroxystearate, Glyceryl Stearate/Acetate, Glyceryl Stearate/Malate, Glyceryl Tallowate, Glyceryl Undecylenate
Skin-conditioning agent – miscellaneous – Glyceryl Collagenate
SurfactantAn ingredient that helps two substances that normally do not mix to become dissolved or dispersed in one another. Also called a surface active agent. – emulsifying agent – Glyceryl Laurate, Glyceryl Laurate SE, Glyceryl Laurate/Oleate, Glyceryl Arachidate, Glyceryl Behenate, Glyceryl Caprate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Caprylate/Caprate, Glyceryl Cocoate, Glyceryl Erucate, Glyceryl Hydrogenated Rosinate, Glyceryl Hydroxystearate, Glyceryl Isopalmitate, Glyceryl Isostearate, Glyceryl Isostearate/Myristate, Glyceryl Isostearates, Glyceryl Lanolate, Glyceryl Linoleate, Glyceryl Linolenate, Glyceryl Montanate, Glyceryl Myristate, Glyceryl Isotridecanoate/Stearate/Adipate, Glyceryl Oleate SE, Glyceryl Oleate/Elaidate, Glyceryl Palmitate, Glyceryl Palmitate/Stearate, Glyceryl Palmitoleate, Glyceryl Pentadecanoate, Glyceryl Rosinate, Glyceryl/Sorbitol Oleate/Hydroxystearate, Glyceryl Stearate/Malate, Glyceryl Tallowate, Glyceryl Undecylenate
Viscosity increasing agent – aqueous – Glyceryl Alginate
Viscosity increasing agent – nonaqueous – Glyceryl Arachidate

Scientific Facts

The glyceryl monoesters, or monoglycerides, are all prepared from glycerin. Most are also prepared from fatty acids or fatty acidA natural organic compound that consists of a carboxyl group (oxygen, carbon and hydrogen) attached to a chain of carbon atoms with their associated hydrogen atoms. The chain of carbon atoms may be connected with single bonds, making a ‘saturated’ fat; or it may contain some double bonds, making an ‘unsaturated’ fat. The number of carbon and hydrogen atoms in the chain is what determines the qualities of that particular fatty acid. Animal and vegetable fats are made up of various combinations of fatty acids (in sets of three) connected to a glycerol molecule, making them triglycerides. derivatives. Some of these fatty acids may come from refined vegetable oils For example, Glyceryl Linolenate is produced from glycerin and linoleic acid, which can be made from sunflower oil. Glyceryl Polyacrylate is the esterAn organic compound formed by the reaction of an acid with an alcohol. of glycerin and polyacrylic acid.

Safety Information

Mixtures of mono and diglycerides are included on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) list of direct food substances affirmed as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS“GRAS” is an acronym for the phrase Generally Recognized As Safe. Under sections 201(s) and 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act), any substance that is intentionally added to food is a food additive, that is subject to premarket review and approval by FDA, unless the substance is generally recognized, among qualified experts, as having been adequately shown to be safe under the conditions of its intended use, or unless the use of the substance is otherwise excluded from the definition of a food additive.). Glyceryl Behenate is also (GRAS) for direct addition to food. FDA has also approved an number of glyceryl monoesters as indirect food additives. For example Glyceryl Stearate may be used as a defoaming agent in the coating of paper and paperboard, and Glyceryl Caprate may be used as a component of paper and paperboard in contact with food. The safety of the glyceryl monoesters has been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient ReviewThe Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) was established in 1976 as an independent safety review program for cosmetic ingredients. The CIR Expert Panel consists of independent experts in dermatology, toxicology, pharmacolgy and veterinary medicine. The CIR includes participation by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and the Consumer Federation of America. (CIR) Expert Panel. The CIR Expert Panel evaluated the scientific data and concluded that the following glyceryl monoesters were safe as cosmetic ingredients in the present practices of use and concentration: Glyceryl Laurate, Glyceryl Laurate SE, Glyceryl Laurate/Oleate, Glyceryl Adipate, Glyceryl Alginate, Glyceryl Arachidate, Glyceryl Behenate, Glyceryl Caprate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Caprylate/Caprate, Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate, Glyceryl Cocoate, Glyceryl Collagenate, Glyceryl Erucate, Glyceryl Hydrogenated Rosinate, Glyceryl Hydrogenated Soyate, Glyceryl Hydroxystearate, Glyceryl Isopalmitate, Glyceryl Isostearate, Glyceryl Isostearate/Myristate, Glyceryl Isostearates, Glyceryl Lanolate, Glyceryl Linoleate, Glyceryl Linolenate, Glyceryl Montanate, Glyceryl Myristate, Glyceryl Isotridecanoate/Stearate/Adipate, Glyceryl Oleate SE, Glyceryl Oleate/Elaidate, Glyceryl Palmitate, Glyceryl Palmitate/Stearate, Glyceryl Palmitoleate, Gyceryl Pentadecanoate, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Glyceryl Rosinate, Glyceryl Sesquioleate, Glyceryl/Sorbitol Oleate/Hydroxystearate, Glyceryl Stearate/Acetate, Glyceryl Stearate/Maleate, Glyceryl Tallowate, Glyceryl Thiopropionate, and Glyceryl Undecylenate. The CIR Expert Panel concluded that the available data were insufficient to reach a conclusion regarding the safety of Glyceryl Arachidonate in cosmetics and personal care products.

CIR Safety Review: The safety of the 43 glyceryl monoesters was reviewed in one report because these ingredient have similare structures. In addition, many of the fatty acids that are included in these ingredients have been previously reviewed by the CIR Expert Panel and found safe for use. Glyceryl Laurate, Glyceryl Isostearate, and Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/ Linoleate/Oleate were not classified as ocular irritants.

Undiluted glyceryl monoesters may produce minor skin irritation, especially in abraded skin, but in general these ingredients were not irritating at concentrations used in cosmetics and personal care products. Glyceryl monoesters were not sensitizers, except that Glyceryl Rosinate and Hydrogenated Glyceryl Rosinate may contain residual rosin which can cause allergic reactions. These ingredients were not photosensitizers.

Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate was not mutagenic in bacteria. Glyceryl Laurate exhibited antitumor activity and Glyceryl Stearate was negative in a tumor promotion assay. Glyceryl Laurate enhanced the penetration of drugs through human skin and hairless skin in vitroExperiments performed in a test tube or another artificial, controlled environment, rather than in a whole animal. and was described as having a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity. Glyceryl monoesters have little acute or short-term toxicity, and no toxicity was noted following chronic administration of a mixture consisting mostly of glyceryl di-and mono- esters.

At concentrations higher than used in cosmetics and personal care products, Glyceryl Laurate did cause moderate erythema in human repeat insult patch studies, but the other Glyceryl Monoesters tested failed to produce any significant positive reactions. Glyceryl Rosinate was irritating to skin at 50%, but did not produce sensitization in clinical tests at concentrations up to 10% when covered with semi-occluded patches. There was reported use of Glyceryl Rosinate at 12% in mascara, which was higher than the concentration in the clinical testing. It was reasoned that the available data supported the safety of this use because there would be minimal contact with the skin and no occlusion.

The safety of Arachidonic Acid was not documented and substantiated for cosmetic product use. Therefore, the CIR Expert Panel also concluded that the data were insufficient to support the safety of Glyceryl Arachidonate. The following data were requested: dermal absorption data; based on the results of absorption studies, data on immune system effects, carcinogenicity and phtotsensitization, and irritation, sensitization and photosensitization may be needed.

Link to FDA Code of Federal Regulations for glyceryl monoesters

The glyceryl monoesters may be used in cosmetics and personal care products marketed in Europe according to the general provisions of the Cosmetics Regulation of the European UnionUnder the general provisions of the cosmetics regulation of the EU, ingredients appearing on the following function-specific annexes must comply with the listed restrictions and/or specifications: colorants (Annex IV), preservatives (Annex V), UV filters (Annex VI) and other ingredients with specific concentration limits and/or other restrictions (Annex III). Ingredients specifically prohibited from use in cosmetic products are listed in Annex II. Other ingredients listed in the EU cosmetic ingredient database (CosIng) may be used without restrictions..

Link to the EU Cosmetic Regulation:
http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/product_labelling_and_p…

More Scientific Information

Glyceryl monoesters are not pure monoesters, but are mixtures with mono-, di-, and tri-esters. Glyceryl monoesters are metabolized to free fatty acids and glycerol, both of which are available for the resynthesis of triglycerides. In cosmetics and personal care products, glyceryl monoesters are used mostly as skin conditioning agents – emollients and/or surfactant – emulsifying agents.

Resources

Find out more about the regulation of Food Additives by the Food and Drug Administration

Food Ingredients and Packaging: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/default.htm

Food Contact Substances: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/PackagingFCS/defaul…

Substances Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS): http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/GRAS/default.htm

Search the Code of Federal Regulations http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm

EU Cosmetics Inventory http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cosmetics/cosing/