Ingredient Spotlight Retinyl Palmitate

Today, I was looking for some interesting facts on sunscreen for my weekly #MakeupMonday tip, but I ended up doing ingredient research instead.  One website I looked at suggested that products with sunscreen might also contain Retinyl Palmitate, which is another form of Vitamin A or Retinol.

Retinol and Retinyl Palmitate are used in anti-aging products.  I am totally on board with helping my skin as youthful as possible.

However, anyone who's been under a doctor's care while using Retinol knows that Vitamin A can make your skin more sun-sensitive.  Wearing sunscreen & sun protection while using Retinol is very important.

To this un-trained chemist, including this ingredient in sunscreen seems to be counter-productive.

So I began checking some ingredient lists and I did find that Retinyl Palmitate was used in some sunscreens and some moisturizers that contained sunscreen.  But, those particular products are no longer available for retail (at least on the product list I reviewed - I didn't spend a huge amount of time researching a large variety of moisturizers & sunscreens - so check your own labels).

I was surprised to see the types of products that also contain Retinyl Palmitate:

mineral eyeshadow
concealer
lip balm
baby powder
eye shadow primer
cheek color
sheer mineral foundation

I would never put sunscreen on my eyelids and yet I know I use shadow primer and mineral eyeshadows every day on my eyelids.

I use moisturizers and foundations that contain sunscreen, but apply mineral based bronzers and cheek colors on top of those products.

(Side note:  I also learned that skin peeling is also a side effect of the ingredient Retinyl Palmitate.  And I've had a few clients in the past complain of eyelids that peel.)

Hmmm….

What do you think?