- Comedogenic
- Not rated
- Irritancy
- 1 / 5
- Fungal acne
- Trigger
- Type
- Vitamin ester
- INCI name
- Retinyl Palmitate
Who should avoid it?
Suitable for all skin types, including oily and acne-prone skin.
Acne-safe breakdown
Retinyl Palmitate scores 0/5, so it is one of the ingredients acne-prone skin can use freely, though it is still a fungal-acne trigger. If a product containing it breaks you out, look at the other ingredients. Our scanner will flag them.
Fungal-acne safe ingredients list
Print the pore-clogging and fungal-acne cheat sheet →
Frequently asked questions
Is Retinyl Palmitate comedogenic?
Retinyl Palmitate has no standard rating on the comedogenic scale. It is, however, a fungal-acne trigger. A mild, stored form of vitamin A attached to palmitic acid. In very small amounts it is rarely a problem, but it is an ester of a fatty acid.
Is Retinyl Palmitate safe for fungal acne?
No. Retinyl Palmitate can feed Malassezia yeast, so people with fungal acne usually avoid it.
Does Retinyl Palmitate cause acne?
It is unlikely to. Breakouts usually come from other ingredients in the formula, or from non-cosmetic causes.