Ingredient glossary / Emollient
Palmitic acid
On the label: Palmitic Acid · Emollient
What it is
A fatty acid common in palm oil and in skin's own sebum; used as an emollient and in soap.
Emollients: Emollients fill the gaps between skin cells and leave the surface smooth and soft; oils, butters and esters.
Wikidata: Chemical compound. Q209727 →
In the research
380 PubMed papers mention it with skin, cosmetics or hair; the three most recent:
- Description of Corynebacterium nasorum sp. nov. and Corynebacterium hallucis sp. nov. isolated from human nasal passages and skin · International journal of systematic and evolutionary microbiology, 2026
- Sequential Recovery of Non-Polar and Polar Compounds from Spent Coffee Grounds Using scCO(2) Followed by SWE and UAE · Foods (Basel, Switzerland), 2026
- Material basis and MRGPRB3-associated mechanisms of dictamni cortex against pseudo-allergic reactions · Journal of ethnopharmacology, 2027
A paper is a paper, not a verdict: titles are listed so you can read them, and a study on cells or mice says little about a cream on a face.
Other emollients
Dew & Balm describes ingredients from the public record and makes no claim about what a product will do for you. Statements about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA. If a product causes a reaction, stop using it; a reaction that spreads or affects breathing is a call to a doctor or 911.