Glyceryl Caprylate

If a moisturizer or cleanser feels a little more elegant than the sum of its parts, there’s a decent chance Glyceryl Caprylate is quietly doing some of the heavy lifting. This handy little multitasker is made from glycerin and caprylic acid, and in formulas it tends to play a few roles at once: it can act as a skin-conditioning emollient, help oils and water stay mixed, and give a formula a smoother, less draggy feel. It’s one of those ingredients that doesn’t usually get the spotlight, but can make a product much nicer to use.

Its best-known trick, though, is antimicrobial support. Glyceryl Caprylate can help slow down the growth of some bacteria and fungi, which is why formulators often use it as part of a preservative system or as a preservative booster. In other words, it can help a formula stay fresher for longer and may allow a lower amount of traditional preservatives to do the job. It’s not usually a stand-alone preservative in the way phenoxyethanol or parabens can be, but it’s a useful sidekick that helps a formula’s defense team work more efficiently.

As a skin feel ingredient, it’s generally considered nice and lightweight rather than rich or greasy. That makes it popular in products where you want softness without the heavy after-feel, like lotions, facial moisturizers, sunscreens and cleansing products. Because it has some emulsifying and solubilizing abilities, it can also help keep formulas stable and pleasant instead of separating into sad little oily and watery layers. And yes, that stability matters: a stable product is usually a more reliable one.

From a skin safety point of view, Glyceryl Caprylate is widely used and is generally regarded as well tolerated at the low levels found in cosmetics. It is often marketed as plant-derived, since the raw materials can come from vegetable sources, though “natural” is a fuzzy term and depends on the exact manufacturing process and standards used. Bottom line: this is a clever, practical ingredient that helps formulas feel better, stay together, and stay a little less inviting to microbes — all while keeping a low profile.

A 100% plant derived, natural (Ecocert approved) multi-functional ingredient that has emollient and moisturizing properties, can work as a co-emulsifier (meaning that next to other emulsifiers it can help water and oil to mix)  and even more importantly has a strong antimicrobial activity. 

Thanks to this last thing, it allows a lower percentage of traditional preservative or it might even be able to completely replace them.