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Retinyl palmitate night cream OEM/ODM manufacturing
Retinyl Palmitate Night Cream · OEM/ODM
Retinyl palmitate is the ester of retinol (vitamin A) and palmitic acid; according to the US National Toxicology Program (NTP), it is the main storage form of vitamin A in the skin. The skin's enzymes must first cleave the ester into retinol, which is then oxidized further into retinoic acid — the active form. Each step happens only in part: in living human skin, 0.6% retinyl palmitate under occlusion was needed to produce the retinoid activity marker that retinol reached at 0.025% (Duell 1997). A retinyl palmitate cream is therefore a gentle vitamin A direction, not a substitute for retinol at the same concentration: in a 21-day repeated-application study, a 0.55% retinyl palmitate cream caused mild transient irritation and a 0.30% retinol cream moderate irritation (Nohynek 2006), while the efficacy evidence for this ingredient on its own in human skin remains limited. Butter-C puts retinyl palmitate into the oil phase of a night cream with antioxidants, chooses airtight light-proof packaging and assays the active by HPLC in real time; the label says to use it in the evening with sunscreen during the day, because retinyl palmitate absorbs UV light and has adverse data in light-exposed mice. Retinyl palmitate is not listed in the ASEAN Annexes; goods for the EU follow the 0.3% retinol-equivalent benchmark. The material is not in Butter-C's current stock list, so it is sourced per order with a mandatory COA. Butter-C offers turnkey OEM/ODM manufacturing, from formula development and testing to a labeled finished product and notification dossier.
Formula base
Retinyl palmitate in the oil phase of a rich cream base
Retinyl palmitate is highly oil-loving and sensitive to light and air — the four points below decide how much active is left at the end of the shelf life and whether the label is correct.
Retinyl palmitate — an ester of retinol, not retinol or tretinoin
INCI: Retinyl Palmitate; CAS 79-81-2; C36H60O2, molecular weight 524.9; computed XLogP 13.6 — highly lipophilic; melting point about 28.5 °C (PubChem). Metabolic chain in skin: retinyl palmitate → retinol → retinaldehyde → retinoic acid. Retinoic acid (tretinoin) is a prescription drug and is prohibited in ASEAN cosmetics — Annex II, Ref 375 “Tretinoin (INN) (retinoic acid and its salts)”. On the label, Retinyl Palmitate and Retinol are two different INCI names.
Sourced per order, COA mandatory
Retinyl palmitate is not in Butter-C's current stock list. Commercial material may be offered by potency in IU/g or as a ready-made oil solution (PubChem's synonym list includes entries such as “Vitamin A palmitate, 1.7 M.I.U./g”); the COA must state the actual content, the carrier oil and any stabilizers — these go into the ingredient list, and every concentration calculation is based on actual retinyl palmitate. A survey of commercial cosmetics detected retinoic acid in 2 products (Temova Rakuša 2021), so Butter-C suggests considering a retinoic acid check on the raw material and finished product.
The oil phase of an oil-in-water emulsion
Because it is highly lipophilic, retinyl palmitate is dissolved in the cream's oil phase (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, shea butter) and emulsified with Cetearyl Olivate or Glyceryl Stearate plus Cetearyl Alcohol. The addition temperature follows the supplier's TDS (we have no checked source for a figure); handling is done under reduced light with limited air exposure (manufacturing practice based on the material's properties).
Antioxidants, chelator and humectants
Tocopherol, BHT (ASEAN Annex III, Ref 342: up to 1% in “Other leave-on and rinse-off products”, counting any amount already in the raw material) and Disodium EDTA in the water phase are standard; their protective effect must be proven by assaying retinyl palmitate over time. Glycerin and Panthenol add a moist, soft feel.
Key technical points
Metabolism, light, concentration and assay
The general night cream base is covered on the general page; the four points below are about retinyl palmitate itself and how to read its data.
The skin converts retinyl palmitate, but only partly
On excised human skin (acetone vehicle), about 18% of the applied dose was absorbed and less than 1% passed through the skin; no metabolite other than retinol was detected, and 44% of the absorbed amount was hydrolyzed to retinol (Boehnlein 1994, in vitro). In living people, in an experimental ethanol – propylene glycol vehicle, 0.6% retinyl palmitate under occlusion was needed for significant enzyme induction, versus 0.025% retinol and 0.01% retinaldehyde; without occlusion, retinyl palmitate gave less induction than under occlusion; retinyl palmitate did not cause erythema but did increase epidermal thickness (Duell 1997). On ex vivo human skin, retinyl palmitate penetrated less than retinol and retinyl propionate, and had a null effect in an RARα reporter cell line (Bjerke 2021, most authors employed by a consumer-goods company). There is no efficacy conversion factor between retinyl palmitate and retinol.
Light: UV absorption and retinoid degradation
Retinyl palmitate absorbs both UVA and UVB, with a peak around 325 nm (NTP). A survey of 16 retinoid derivatives (including retinyl palmitate) in 12 commercial cosmetics: content fell by 0–80% after 6 months at 25 °C and from 40% to complete loss at 40 °C; light caused more degradation than temperature; the authors recommend real-time stability studies rather than relying on accelerated testing alone (Temova Rakuša 2021). Hence aluminum tubes, light-blocking airless jars or bottles and minimal air headspace; avoid clear wide-mouth jars.
Concentration: not listed in ASEAN, the EU level for exports
Retinyl palmitate is not listed in ASEAN Annexes II, III or VI (06/2026 version); among retinoids only tretinoin is listed (Annex II Ref 375, prohibited). Not being listed does not mean unlimited use — the level must be justified in the safety assessment of the Product Information File (PIF). Regulation (EU) 2024/996, Annex III entry 376 (retinol, retinyl acetate, retinyl palmitate): up to 0.05% retinol equivalent (RE) in body lotion and 0.3% RE in other leave-on and rinse-off products; mandatory label text “Contains Vitamin A. Consider your daily intake before use”; non-compliant products may not be placed on the EU market from 1 November 2025 and may not be made available from 1 May 2027 — this applies only to goods for the EU. The EU text gives no factor for converting retinyl palmitate to RE; the conversion is confirmed by the safety assessor (the ingredient article on our site shows a calculation based on molecular weight). The NTP report gives 0.1% to 5% as typical cosmetic concentrations.
HPLC assay at the start and in real time
A reversed-phase HPLC method with UV detection at 330 nm, developed by an FDA author, quantifies retinol, retinyl palmitate and retinoic acid together in cosmetics, with recoveries of 95% or higher, and distinguishes cis isomers (Hubinger 2009). Butter-C assays at the start and at each real-time stability point; if a percentage is printed on the label, it must still be true at the end of the shelf life.
Three formulation directions
Three styles of retinyl palmitate cream
Rich night cream for dry skin
Retinyl palmitate in an oil phase of shea butter, Squalane and Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride; emulsified with Cetearyl Olivate and Cetearyl Alcohol; Glycerin and Panthenol in the water phase; Tocopherol, BHT, Disodium EDTA. A thick texture that holds in the tube; it needs a preservative system that passes ISO 11930 challenge testing and monitoring of oil-phase oxidation.
Light cream for normal to combination skin
A lower-oil emulsion with Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride and Dimethicone for a dry finish; Sodium Hyaluronate and Glycerin as humectants; Xanthan Gum to stabilize the water phase. Retinyl palmitate still sits in the oil phase, so the minimum oil content must be enough to dissolve the active at the chosen level.
Gentle vitamin A cream for first-time users
Retinyl palmitate at a low level with Panthenol, Allantoin and Bisabolol, fragrance-free. The label says to start with a small amount and increase frequency as tolerated — general cautious practice with retinoids; “gentle” is only claimed after tolerance testing on the finished product itself.
How it differs from existing pages
The night cream page is a general page with several active groups; the retinol and retinal serums use vitamin A forms with their own trials at defined concentrations. This page is for a cream named after retinyl palmitate — an ester the skin converts only partly, for evening use — built around the oil phase, light stability and labeling of this ingredient.
Parameters we monitor
What the R&D lab measures on every sample
These are the parameters Butter-C tracks during formula development and scale-up. Specific limits are agreed with you on the approved sample and then written into the product's in-house specification.
- Incoming raw material file
- CAS 79-81-2, actual content (or IU/g potency converted per the COA), carrier oil and stabilizers, appearance, manufacturing date, supplier storage conditions.
- Retinyl palmitate assay
- HPLC at the start and at each real-time stability point at room temperature; accelerated data for reference only. Consider a retinoic acid assay alongside.
- Appearance, color & odor
- Against the reference sample at each stability point; marked yellowing or a rancid oil odor triggers a re-assay.
- Light exposure in the pack
- Light-exposure testing in the exact tube or jar to be used; retinyl palmitate content compared before and after.
- pH, viscosity & emulsion stability
- pH per the ingredients' TDS, set on the sample; centrifugation and freeze–thaw cycles, with separation, oil bleeding and viscosity drift tracked.
- Microbiology & preservative challenge
- Tested at a GLP / ISO 17025-accredited laboratory; ISO 11930 preservative efficacy testing on the final formula.
- Skin assessment
- Tolerance testing as the target market requires; to claim “skin looks smoother”, measure it on volunteers using the finished product itself.
- Packaging compatibility
- Filled into the exact aluminum tube, jar or airless bottle to be used; seal integrity, full dispensing and discoloration at the cap contact area monitored.
Claims
Claims matched to the evidence for retinyl palmitate
We found no vehicle-controlled trial of retinyl palmitate on its own on photoaged skin; the human studies available all used combined formulas, so their results belong to the whole formula. Chien 2022: randomized, double-blind, 24 people with moderate to severe facial photodamage (20 women analyzed: 9 in the blend group, 11 in the tretinoin group), 24 weeks; a 1.1% formula of retinol, retinyl acetate and retinyl palmitate showed no significant difference from tretinoin 0.02% in photoaging scores (P = 0.27) — “no difference” in a small sample does not mean equivalence; erythema 11% versus 64%. Rawlings 2013: randomized, with a group that used no product (not a vehicle group), blinded graders, 12 weeks; an anhydrous oil-based moisturizer containing vitamin A palmitate and antioxidants improved fine lines, coarse wrinkles, mottled pigmentation and roughness on the face and neck versus the no-product group (P < 0.001); the abstract gives neither the sample size nor the concentration. A 2022 review concluded that properly designed trials supporting the efficacy of retinol, retinaldehyde and retinyl palmitate in cosmetics are lacking (Milosheska 2022). Level of evidence: limited. These results are described so you understand the ingredient; Annex 03-MP of Circular 06/2011/TT-BYT does not accept claims to prevent, reduce or reverse age-related changes, so the label uses only the cosmetic-level claims below.
Night-time skin care that helps skin look smoother (to be tested on the finished product)
Basis: the cream base and assessment on volunteers using the finished product itself; the data from the combined formulas above do not transfer automatically to this product. Instead of: age-reversing claims, erases wrinkles, rejuvenates, skin renewal, boosts collagen, replaces retinol or tretinoin.
Use in the evening; use sunscreen during the day (directions for use)
Retinyl palmitate absorbs UV light. In a one-year NTP study in SKH-1 hairless mice exposed to simulated solar light for 40 weeks, the control cream itself made skin tumors appear earlier and more often than no cream; compared with the control cream, creams containing retinyl palmitate (0.1–2.0%) made tumors appear earlier and increased the incidence and number of squamous cell neoplasms in light-exposed mice (NTP TR-568; Boudreau 2017). These are animal data, not human data; as a precaution, the product is for evening use and is not positioned as a daytime product. Instead of: daytime use without sunscreen, sun protection from vitamin A.
Contains x% retinyl palmitate (when assayed)
The percentage is actual retinyl palmitate and must match the assay to the end of the shelf life; the INCI Retinyl Palmitate is stated correctly; EU exports add “Contains Vitamin A. Consider your daily intake before use”. Instead of: “x% retinol” when an ester is used, prescription retinoid, equivalent to tretinoin, drug-like claims about acne, melasma or scars.
Directions: patch-test first, do not self-combine with prescription retinoids
Mild transient local irritation has been recorded with a 0.55% cream (Nohynek 2006); people with sensitive skin should patch-test first and stop if redness or burning persists. Do not combine on your own with prescription topical retinoids; people taking oral retinoids or high-dose vitamin A supplements should consult a doctor. Instead of: non-irritating, suits every skin type, can be used with any product.
Note for pregnant and breastfeeding women
Data on the safety of topical retinyl palmitate in pregnancy are insufficient, so consult a doctor, especially when taking supplements containing vitamin A. In 14 women of child-bearing age applying a 0.55% retinyl palmitate cream to about 3,000 cm² of skin daily for 21 days, plasma retinol, retinyl esters and retinoic acids did not change, whereas single oral doses of 10,000 IU or 30,000 IU raised retinyl esters and retinoic acids (Nohynek 2006; lead author employed by a cosmetics company; not conducted in pregnant women). According to the recitals of Regulation (EU) 2024/996, the EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) considers that vitamin A from cosmetics, although low, may be of concern for consumers with high vitamin A exposure from food and supplements (5% of the population). Instead of: safe for moms-to-be.
Manufacturing specifications
Capabilities
- Texture
- A rich thick cream or a light cream; off-white to pale yellow depending on the raw material.
- Packaging format
- Aluminum tubes, light-blocking jars or airless bottles. Volume agreed when packaging is selected.
- Minimum order quantity
- Agreed per order — depends on the formula direction, pack format and raw-material lot.
- Testing
- Performed at a GLP / ISO 17025-accredited laboratory, with a certificate of analysis for every batch; retinyl palmitate assayed according to the stability plan.
- Documentation
- Product Information File (PIF) and notification dossier prepared by Butter-C, with the retinyl palmitate COA and stability data.
- Packaging
- Label design, printing and packing run in parallel with formulation; the label carries evening-use, daytime-sunscreen and pregnancy notes.
Suggested product concept
A retinyl palmitate night cream for people new to vitamin A
One product concept to help you picture the result; not a ready-made product for sale. The actual formula is built around your brand's positioning and price range.
Retinyl palmitate as the featured ingredient
Sourced per order with a content COA; the level is set by the TDS, safety assessment and tolerance testing (EU exports no more than 0.3% RE using the conversion confirmed by the safety assessor); HPLC assay at the start and along the real-time stability plan.
Rich cream base
Shea butter, Squalane and Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride in a Cetearyl Olivate – Cetearyl Alcohol emulsion; Glycerin, Panthenol.
Antioxidants, fragrance-free
Tocopherol, BHT within the Annex III Ref 342 limit, Disodium EDTA; Allantoin, Bisabolol; fragrance-free to remove one source of irritation.
30 ml aluminum tube
The label lists INCI Retinyl Palmitate and every component of the raw material, evening-use directions, daytime sunscreen, a patch-test note and the pregnancy note; claims stop at “night-time skin care that helps skin look smoother” after testing on the finished product.
Customization options
What you can specify
The same product type can serve very different customers. Tell us your requirements in the areas below and our pharmacists will build the matching formula.
Retinyl palmitate level
Chosen by customer group and market; any level is justified in the safety assessment and confirmed by tolerance and stability testing on the finished product.
Texture
A rich thick cream for dry skin or a light cream for normal to combination skin — this sets the oil and emulsifier levels.
Supporting ingredients
Humectants and soothing agents (Panthenol, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Sodium Hyaluronate); no other retinoid in the same jar unless total vitamin A and tolerance have been worked out.
Fragrance and color
Fragrance-free recommended; no added color — a pale yellow tint may come from the raw material itself.
Packaging
Aluminum tube, light-blocking jar or airless bottle; clear wide-mouth jars are not suitable.
Target market
EU exports: the entry 376 level and the text “Contains Vitamin A. Consider your daily intake before use”; other markets: local rules checked when the dossier is prepared.
Further reading
Related topics
Retinyl palmitate in cosmetics
How the skin converts this ester, the level of evidence, stability, safety and ASEAN and EU rules (in Vietnamese).
Retinol in cosmetics
General retinoid background: mechanism, human trials, low-irritation use (in Vietnamese).
Light and the skin
Why vitamin A creams come with evening-use and daytime-sunscreen directions (in Vietnamese).
Cosmetic stability and shelf life
Real-time stability testing and active assays — the basis for setting the shelf life (in Vietnamese).
Night cream OEM/ODM manufacturing
The general page: a night cream base with several active groups.
Retinol serum OEM/ODM manufacturing
A different direction: the alcohol form of vitamin A, with levels based on its own trials.
How we work
From idea to finished batch
Eight steps and three milestones signed off by both sides: approved sample, notification number, finished batch. Step-by-step details →
Get started
Tell us about the product you plan to launch
Send us your product direction and expected volume. Our team will get back to you during business hours (Vietnam time, GMT+7).
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