Esters: Properties and Cosmetic Applications

What Are Esters?

Esters are the products of the reaction between an acid, usually an organic acid, and an alcohol. In cosmetic formulations, a wide range of esters can be produced by combining different fatty acids with different alcohols.

Common fatty acids used to produce cosmetic esters include:

• Caprylic acid
• Capric acid
• Lauric acid
• Myristic acid
• Palmitic acid
• Stearic acid
• Oleic acid
• Linoleic acid
• Behenic acid
• Adipic acid

Common alcohols include isopropyl alcohol, n-butyl alcohol, ethylhexyl alcohol, myristyl alcohol and oleyl alcohol, as well as polyvalent alcohols such as ethylene glycol, polyglycerol, propylene glycol and glycerol.

Esters in Cosmetic Formulation

The large number of possible combinations of acids and alcohols allows the cosmetic industry to produce a wide range of synthetic esters. Their different chemical structures allow formulators to select esters according to the desired properties of a cosmetic formulation.

Esters are therefore widely used as functional ingredients in cosmetic products where specific formulation and sensory characteristics are required.

Ingredient Information

CAS: Not applicable – esters represent a broad group of compounds rather than a single substance
EINECS/EC: Not applicable – depends on the specific ester

References

Cosmetic Formulation Principles and Practice – Heather A.E. Benson, Michael S. Roberts, Vânia Rodrigues Leite-Silva, Kenneth A. Walters.