Glyceryl Caprate

What Is It?

The glyceryl monoesters (Glyceryl Laurate, Glyceryl Laurate SE, Glyceryl Laurate/Oleate, Glyceryl Adipate, Glyceryl Alginate, Glyceryl Arachidate, Glyceryl Behenate, Glyceryl Caprate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Caprylate/Caprate, Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate, Glyceryl Cocoate, Glyceryl Collagenate, Glyceryl Erucate, Glyceryl Hydrogenated Rosinate, Glyceryl Hydrogenated Soyate, Glyceryl Hydroxystearate, Glyceryl Isopalmitate, Glyceryl Isostearate, Glyceryl Isostearate/Myristate, Glyceryl Isostearates, Glyceryl Lanolate, Glyceryl Linoleate, Glyceryl Linolenate, Glyceryl Montanate, Glyceryl Myristate, Glyceryl Isotridecanoate/Stearate/Adipate, Glyceryl Oleate SE, Glyceryl Oleate/Elaidate, Glyceryl Palmitate, Glyceryl Palmitate/Stearate, Glyceryl Palmitoleate, Gyceryl Pentadecanoate, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Glyceryl Rosinate, Glyceryl Sesquioleate, Glyceryl/Sorbitol Oleate/Hydroxystearate, Glyceryl Stearate/Acetate, Glyceryl Stearate/Maleate, Glyceryl Tallowate, Glyceryl Thiopropionate, Glyceryl Undecylenate) occur primarily as white to yellow oils or oily waxes. Ingredient names containing a “/”, such as Glyceryl Caprylate/Caprate, are mixtures of monoesters, Glyceryl Caprylate and Glyceryl Caprate. SE in the name means that it is a self-emulsifying grade that contains some sodium and/or potassium salts of the acid. Glyceryl monoesters are primarily used in the formulation of creams and lotions, moisturizers, and other skin care products, but glyceryl monoesters can also be found in permanent waves, deodorants, bath soaps, eye makeup and foundations.

Why Is It Used?

The following functions have been reported for the glyceryl monoesters.

  • Film former – Glyceryl Polyacrylate
  • Hair conditioning agent – Glyceryl Collagenate, Glyceryl Lanolate Hair waving and straightening agent – Glyceryl Thiopropionate
  • Reducing agent – Glyceryl Thiopropionate
  • Skin-conditioning agent – emollient – Glyceryl Laurate, Glyceryl Laurate/Oleate, Glyceryl Adipate, Glyceryl Alginate, Glyceryl Arachidate, Glyceryl Arachidonate, Glyceryl Behenate, Glyceryl Caprate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Caprylate/Caprate, Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate, Glyceryl Cocoate, Glyceryl Collagenate, Glyceryl Erucate, Glyceryl Hydrogenated Rosinate, Glyceryl Hydrogenated Soyate, Glyceryl Hydroxystearate, Glyceryl Isopalmitate, Glyceryl Isostearate. Glyceryl Isostearate/Myristate, Glyceryl Isostearates, Glyceryl Lanolate, Glyceryl Linoleate, Glyceryl Linolenate, Glyceryl Montanate, Glyceryl Myristate, Glyceryl Isotridecanoate/Stearate/Adipate, Glyceryl Oleate/Elaidate, Glyceryl Palmitate, Glyceryl Palmitate/Stearate, Glyceryl Palmitoleate, Glyceryl Rosinate, Glyceryl Sesquioleate, Glyceryl/Sorbitol Oleate/Hydroxystearate, Glyceryl Stearate/Acetate, Glyceryl Stearate/Malate, Glyceryl Tallowate, Glyceryl Undecylenate
  • Skin-conditioning agent – miscellaneous – Glyceryl Collagenate
  • Surfactant – emulsifying agent – Glyceryl Laurate, Glyceryl Laurate SE, Glyceryl Laurate/Oleate, Glyceryl Arachidate, Glyceryl Behenate, Glyceryl Caprate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Caprylate/Caprate, Glyceryl Cocoate, Glyceryl Erucate, Glyceryl Hydrogenated Rosinate, Glyceryl Hydroxystearate, Glyceryl Isopalmitate, Glyceryl Isostearate, Glyceryl Isostearate/Myristate, Glyceryl Isostearates, Glyceryl Lanolate, Glyceryl Linoleate, Glyceryl Linolenate, Glyceryl Montanate, Glyceryl Myristate, Glyceryl Isotridecanoate/Stearate/Adipate, Glyceryl Oleate SE, Glyceryl Oleate/Elaidate, Glyceryl Palmitate, Glyceryl Palmitate/Stearate, Glyceryl Palmitoleate, Glyceryl Pentadecanoate, Glyceryl Rosinate, Glyceryl/Sorbitol Oleate/Hydroxystearate, Glyceryl Stearate/Malate, Glyceryl Tallowate, Glyceryl Undecylenate
  • Viscosity increasing agent – aqueous – Glyceryl Alginate
  • Viscosity increasing agent – nonaqueous – Glyceryl Arachidate

Scientific Facts

The glyceryl monoesters, or monoglycerides, are all prepared from glycerin. Most are also prepared from fatty acids or fatty acid derivatives. Some of these fatty acids may come from refined vegetable oils For example, Glyceryl Linolenate is produced from glycerin and linoleic acid, which can be made from sunflower oil. Glyceryl Polyacrylate is the ester of glycerin and polyacrylic acid.

Safety Information

Mixtures of mono and diglycerides are included on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) list of direct food substances affirmed as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS). Glyceryl Behenate is also (GRAS) for direct addition to food. FDA has also approved an number of glyceryl monoesters as indirect food additives. For example Glyceryl Stearate may be used as a defoaming agent in the coating of paper and paperboard, and Glyceryl Caprate may be used as a component of paper and paperboard in contact with food. The safety of the glyceryl monoesters has been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel. The CIR Expert Panel evaluated the scientific data and concluded that the following glyceryl monoesters were safe as cosmetic ingredients in the present practices of use and concentration: Glyceryl Laurate, Glyceryl Laurate SE, Glyceryl Laurate/Oleate, Glyceryl Adipate, Glyceryl Alginate, Glyceryl Arachidate, Glyceryl Behenate, Glyceryl Caprate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Caprylate/Caprate, Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate, Glyceryl Cocoate, Glyceryl Collagenate, Glyceryl Erucate, Glyceryl Hydrogenated Rosinate, Glyceryl Hydrogenated Soyate, Glyceryl Hydroxystearate, Glyceryl Isopalmitate, Glyceryl Isostearate, Glyceryl Isostearate/Myristate, Glyceryl Isostearates, Glyceryl Lanolate, Glyceryl Linoleate, Glyceryl Linolenate, Glyceryl Montanate, Glyceryl Myristate, Glyceryl Isotridecanoate/Stearate/Adipate, Glyceryl Oleate SE, Glyceryl Oleate/Elaidate, Glyceryl Palmitate, Glyceryl Palmitate/Stearate, Glyceryl Palmitoleate, Gyceryl Pentadecanoate, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Glyceryl Rosinate, Glyceryl Sesquioleate, Glyceryl/Sorbitol Oleate/Hydroxystearate, Glyceryl Stearate/Acetate, Glyceryl Stearate/Maleate, Glyceryl Tallowate, Glyceryl Thiopropionate, and Glyceryl Undecylenate. The CIR Expert Panel concluded that the available data were insufficient to reach a conclusion regarding the safety of Glyceryl Arachidonate in cosmetics and personal care products.

CIR Safety Review: The safety of the 43 glyceryl monoesters was reviewed in one report because these ingredient have similare structures. In addition, many of the fatty acids that are included in these ingredients have been previously reviewed by the CIR Expert Panel and found safe for use. Glyceryl Laurate, Glyceryl Isostearate, and Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/ Linoleate/Oleate were not classified as ocular irritants.

Undiluted glyceryl monoesters may produce minor skin irritation, especially in abraded skin, but in general these ingredients were not irritating at concentrations used in cosmetics and personal care products. Glyceryl monoesters were not sensitizers, except that Glyceryl Rosinate and Hydrogenated Glyceryl Rosinate may contain residual rosin which can cause allergic reactions. These ingredients were not photosensitizers.

Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate was not mutagenic in bacteria. Glyceryl Laurate exhibited antitumor activity and Glyceryl Stearate was negative in a tumor promotion assay. Glyceryl Laurate enhanced the penetration of drugs through human skin and hairless skin in vitro and was described as having a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity. Glyceryl monoesters have little acute or short-term toxicity, and no toxicity was noted following chronic administration of a mixture consisting mostly of glyceryl di-and mono- esters.

At concentrations higher than used in cosmetics and personal care products, Glyceryl Laurate did cause moderate erythema in human repeat insult patch studies, but the other Glyceryl Monoesters tested failed to produce any significant positive reactions. Glyceryl Rosinate was irritating to skin at 50%, but did not produce sensitization in clinical tests at concentrations up to 10% when covered with semi-occluded patches. There was reported use of Glyceryl Rosinate at 12% in mascara, which was higher than the concentration in the clinical testing. It was reasoned that the available data supported the safety of this use because there would be minimal contact with the skin and no occlusion.

The safety of Arachidonic Acid was not documented and substantiated for cosmetic product use. Therefore, the CIR Expert Panel also concluded that the data were insufficient to support the safety of Glyceryl Arachidonate. The following data were requested: dermal absorption data; based on the results of absorption studies, data on immune system effects, carcinogenicity and phtotsensitization, and irritation, sensitization and photosensitization may be needed.

Link to FDA Code of Federal Regulations for glyceryl monoesters

The glyceryl monoesters may be used in cosmetics and personal care products marketed in Europe according to the general provisions of the Cosmetics Regulation of the European Union.

Link to the EU Cosmetic Regulation:
http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/product_labelling_and_p…

More Scientific Information

Glyceryl monoesters are not pure monoesters, but are mixtures with mono-, di-, and tri-esters. Glyceryl monoesters are metabolized to free fatty acids and glycerol, both of which are available for the resynthesis of triglycerides. In cosmetics and personal care products, glyceryl monoesters are used mostly as skin conditioning agents – emollients and/or surfactant – emulsifying agents.

Resources

Find out more about the regulation of Food Additives by the Food and Drug Administration

Food Ingredients and Packaging: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/default.htm

Food Contact Substances: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/PackagingFCS/defaul…

Substances Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS): http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/GRAS/default.htm

Search the Code of Federal Regulations http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm

EU Cosmetics Inventory http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cosmetics/cosing/