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A cosmetic ingredient, not regulated or approved as a drug. This page is educational information only, not medical advice.
IndexedBuilt automatically from public databases on 2026-09-30. Not yet hand-reviewed by PLOBT.How this works →

Palmitoyl hexapeptide-12

Cosmetic ingredient

Cosmetic signal peptide

Also known as: Biopeptide EL, N-Palmitoyl-val-gly-val-ala-pro-gly, Lipopeptide acetate, Lipopeptide, Biopeptide El, Palmitoyl hexapeptide 12, Palmitoyl hexapeptide-12?

Evidence score
23/ 100
Thin evidence

Very thin human evidence

  • Regulatory standing. Cosmetic ingredient, not regulated as a drug
  • Animal / preclinical only. Evidence is largely animal or in-vitro
  • No registered human trials. Nothing registered on ClinicalTrials.gov
  • 1 cited source. Includes primary / regulatory sources

Computed with the same four public criteria as every profile. The human-evidence grade on an indexed profile is set automatically and may change when it is hand-reviewed. It is not a safety score, not a purity rating, and not medical advice, and not a claim that this compound treats, cures, or prevents any condition.

What it is

Palmitoyl hexapeptide-12, sold as Biopeptide EL, is a synthetic lipopeptide used in skin care products. It links a palmitic acid fatty chain to a short peptide sequence modeled on a repeating motif in elastin, and it is thought to act as a signaling fragment that may encourage skin cells to produce matrix proteins such as elastin and collagen.

What the evidence shows

Automatic summaryAnimal / preclinical

There are no registered human clinical trials and only about two published papers, so claims about firmness or elasticity rest mainly on lab work and manufacturer data rather than independent human studies. It is regulated as a cosmetic ingredient and is not FDA-approved for any medical use.

Key facts

Molecular formula
C38H68N6O8
Molecular weight
737 g/mol

Registered human trials

Live from ClinicalTrials.gov, refreshed daily.

0registered studies
Nonemost advanced phase
0completed (sample)
0recruiting (sample)

Published literature

Live from Europe PMC. This is how much has been published, not how much is proven in humans.

2papers referencing Palmitoyl hexapeptide-12

Noninvasive Monitoring of Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 in Human Skin Layers: Mechanical Interaction with Skin Components and Its Potential Skincare Benefits.

ACS Appl Bio Mater2025

A framework for the safety evaluation of peptides in cosmetics.

Curr Res Toxicol2026

Sources

Risks, side effects and study doses are only published on hand-reviewed profiles. Want this one reviewed, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.