Ingredient · dataset v56
Sucrose Palmitate and fungal acne
May trigger · Moderate evidence
Why it's a potential trigger
A sucrose ester of palmitic acid (C16), Malassezia yeast’s best-studied fatty food; extracellular lipases free the fatty half.
Palmitic (C16) sibling of the ruled sucrose cocoate/laurate/stearate rows; same family basis.
Evidence strength
Moderate evidence (2/3)
Function
Fatty ester
Fatty esters: split by the yeast’s enzymes into edible fats.
Products without this ingredient
- LANE & CO. Baby Hair Gel 4 fl oz
- e.l.f. Cosmetics High Definition Powder Sheer
- Molivera Organics Bentonite Clay 16 oz
- Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water with Salicylic Acid 13.5 fl oz
- SVR [B3] Essence Hydra 150 ml
- Noble Formula 2% Pyrithione Zinc Shampoo 8 fl oz
Related fatty ester
- Ascorbyl Palmitate — May trigger · Moderate evidence
- Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate — May trigger · Moderate evidence
- Behenyl Acrylate — May trigger · Limited evidence
- Behenyl Behenate — May trigger · Limited evidence
- Bis-Octyldodecyl Dimer Dilinoleate/Propanediol Copolymer — May trigger · Moderate evidence
- Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate — No known trigger
- Butyloctyl Salicylate — May trigger · Limited evidence
- C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate — May trigger · Limited evidence
Sources
- Brunke & Hube 2006 — MfLIP1 extracellular lipase hydrolyses Tweens (Microbiology)
- Mayser et al. 1995 — ester hydrolysis depends on alcohol moiety (Acta Derm Venereol)
- Gaitanis et al. 2012 — Malassezia genus review: lipid dependence, C11-24 fatty-acid utilization (Clin Microbiol Rev)
- EU CosIng database — search the INCI name
Last reviewed: 2026-10-13 (dataset v56).
Questions
Does Sucrose Palmitate trigger fungal acne?
We flag it as a potential trigger (moderate evidence). That means it belongs to a class the Malassezia yeast is known to feed on — not that every product with it will cause a flare. Concentration, formulation and individual skin chemistry matter.
Does Sucrose Palmitate feed Malassezia?
Yes: we flag Sucrose Palmitate as a potential trigger (moderate evidence). It belongs to a class Malassezia is known to feed on — not a claim that every product with it causes a flare. Concentration, formulation and individual skin chemistry matter.
How confident is this call?
Moderate evidence: A sucrose ester of palmitic acid (C16), the yeast’s best-studied fatty food; extracellular lipases free the fatty half.
Is this medical advice?
No. We screen ingredient lists; we never diagnose, treat, or certify products. When in doubt, ask a dermatologist.
Check a full list containing Sucrose Palmitate →
Not medical advice: we screen ingredient lists for potential triggers — we never diagnose, treat, or certify products. Dataset v56.