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Isopropyl palmitate is a chemical ingredient used in many cosmetic and skincare products. It is made from either palm oil or derived from animal fats, and is colorless and odorless. Its purpose is to moisturize and retain moisture in the skin. It also helps bind to other ingredients in skincare products to penetrate the skin better.
Isopropyl palmitate is best for use in oil-based skincare products that are intended to increase moisture, such as anti-aging creams, wrinkle-reducers, and products to smooth the complexion.
While being a great emollient and creating a light texture for your skincare, Isopropyl palmitate can clog pores if used at concentrations higher than 5%. Otherwise, unless you have a specific allergy to isopropyl palmitate, there aren’t any major drawbacks.
Oily skin occurs when the sebaceous glands in the pores are producing more oil, or sebum, than necessary. Sebum is natural in all skin as it keeps the skin moist and healthy. Over production of sebum can be caused by hormones, genetics or could even be a result of dry skin over-compensating by producing extra oil, in order to retain some measure of moisture.
Oily skin can also be caused by using the wrong products for your skin type. For example, if you are using overly drying soaps and astringents for your skin type, your skin may respond by over producing oil to compensate, as mentioned above. This can create an unfortunate cycle of using harsh soaps to eliminate oils, but instead exacerbating the problem.
On the other hand, overly oily makeup and products can also cause oily skin.
Ingredients that help exfoliate dead skin cells to keep pores unclogged and increase new skin cell production, such as Vitamin A/Retinol, glycolic acid, and salicylic acid, are good for treating acne as well. Benzoyl peroxide is a topical agent for fighting bacteria and unclogging pores. It is one of the longest-used medications to keep oily pores clean and healthy. Jojoba oil is also good for fighting bacteria trapped in oily skin and maintaining a moisture barrier to prevent over-production of sebum.
Isopropyl palmitate may be effective for oily skin, but there are many other factors that may affect whether this ingredient would work on your skin or if there are better ingredients that may work for you. Take this skin quiz to find the best ingredients for your skin and build your skincare routine.
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