Fig. 1. Women Lips Lipstick Shades
Source. Public Domain Pictures. http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/pictures/60000/velka/woman-lips-lipstick-shades.jpg
(Accessed Feb. 5 2018)
What is Retinyl Palmitate?
Retinyl palmitate is a common ingredient in lipsticks, facials cleansers and moisturizing anti-aging products [1]. It can be called retinol palmitate, Aquasol A, or Vitamin A palmitate and is a very large molecule made up of 36 carbons [2]. It is not soluble in water and instead is fat soluble, so it is able to cross skin membranes- thus is a good moisturizer [2, 4].
Where does it come from?
This product can be made synthetically or can be found naturally in the body [3]. We also ingest it through eating animal livers or eggs [4], and it is very important for creating a key protein factor in our bodies called retinoic acid [5]. Through metabolic events in our livers, the retinyl palmitate is broken down, with the result being the production of retinoic acid [5].
Can it hurt you?
Due to its high permeability to cross membranes, high concentrations of retinyl palmitate will be found in fat, skin, intestinal, and placental tissues [2]. When it is on the skin and hit by the sun’s rays, it can release a loose electron, creating a free radical [6]. Free radicals on the skin have been linked to skin cancer [6]. Retinyl palmitate is also unsafe at high levels for a fetus because it can easily cross the barrier, and retinoic acid is very important for proper brain and spinal cord formation in babies [4].
What to think about your lipstick now
The amount of retinyl palmitate is low in lipstick, so don’t throw all your colors away. However, if you are (or think you might be) pregnant, you should check all your skin products and make sure you are not applying very high levels of retinyl palmitate on your face and mouth to protect your baby’s nerve tissue growth. Stay beautiful people!
References
[1] Yao, C., Lin, W., Yue, K., Ling, X., Jing, K., Lu, Y.,... &Fan, E. (2017). Biocatalytic synthesis of vitamin A palmitate using immobilized lipase produced by recombinant Pichia pastoris. Engineering in Life Science, 17(7), 768-774. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.libproxy.mtroyal.ca/doi/10.1002/elsc.201600178/abstract
[2] Sigma Aldrich. (1996). All trans retinol palmitate. Retrieved from https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/content/dam/sigma-aldrich/docs/Sigma/Product_Information_Sheet/1/r3375pis.pdf
[3] National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Database; CID=5280531 Retrieved from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/retinyl_palmitate#section=Top
[4] Sigma Aldrich. (2014). Retinyl palmitate. Material safety data sheet. Retrieved from https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/MSDS/MSDS/DisplayMSDSPage.do?country=CA&language=en&productNumber=R3375&brand=SIGMA&PageToGoToURL=%2Fsafety-center.html
[5] Lehninger, A.L. (2005) Lehninger principles of biochemistry (4th ed.). New York: W. H. Freeman http://smpdb.ca/view/SMP00074?image_type=greyscale#
[6] Manayi, A. & Saeidnia, S. (2014). Cosmetics and Personal Care Products. In Encyclopedia of Toxicology (3rd ed.) pp. 1043-1049. https://www-sciencedirect-com.libproxy.mtroyal.ca/science/article/pii/B9780123864543009799
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