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Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 (Biopeptide EL) · elastin-fragment signal active
Overview
On the INCI deck this active reads as Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 — the lipidated hexapeptide commercialised under names such as Biopeptide EL. It is a signal peptide: the sequence Pal-Val-Gly-Val-Ala-Pro-Gly (C38H68N6O8, MW 736.98) carries a palmitoyl tail for stratum-corneum delivery and is built on the 'spring fragment' VGVAPG that repeats through the elastin molecule, which is why the marketed narrative is firmness and skin-conditioning rather than the wrinkle-relaxation or brightening routes elsewhere in the range. For a finished-product brand it is the active that lets a firming serum carry an elastin-fragment story framed at the 'designed to support' level. Pepoderma writes the Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 spec for cosmetic chemists building firming and anti-aging serums and richer creams where a single lipidated signal peptide drives the formulation work. Hold pH in the 5.0–7.0 band; alkaline drift hydrolyses the palmitoyl amide bond and a hydrolysed lot loses both its delivery story and its INCI integrity. The palmitoyl tail rewards oil-phase or co-solvent loading rather than a straight water add — pre-disperse in a polysorbate or polyglyceryl blend at moderate temperature, then carry it in on the cool-down train. Because it sits in the elastin-fragment signal lane, a brief can layer it with a collagen-leaning matrikine (Matrixyl, Hexapeptide-9) for a broader firmness claim, or pair it with a neurotransmitter peptide (SNAP-8, Argireline) and a carrier peptide (GHK-Cu) for a multi-axis anti-aging stack. Sample fills of 10 mg and 100 mg cover bench iterations and pilot work; kilo-scale runs on the standard OEM cycle once a carrier is locked. INCI and CAS appear on the SDS for CPNP and equivalent cosmetic notifications, with an allergen and trace-impurity sheet per lot.
Who buys this, and why
Anti-aging peptide actives — Copper Tripeptide-1 (GHK-Cu), Acetyl Octapeptide-3 (SNAP-8), Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 (Matrixyl) — ship primarily to indie beauty brand founders building retail serums, established skincare R&D chemists extending an existing anti-wrinkle line, and med-aesthetic brand OEMs developing back-bar retail products. The defining formulation considerations are use-level optimisation (lower is often better at the working pH), carrier selection (aqueous vs. lipid-encapsulated), and chelator-free preservative systems. The data packet ships with guidance on all three on the lot report.
Primary buyer fit: med-aesthetic brand R&D + back-bar retail OEM and regional cosmetic-active distributors serving brand programmes.
Applications & formulation fit
A signal peptide: palmitoyl Pal-VGVAPG, lipidated to cross the stratum corneum and built on the elastin 'spring fragment' VGVAPG — a firmness-and-conditioning active in the matrix-signal family.
Use levels, pH window, and carrier compatibility are covered in the Journal — verify them against your own base:
Specifications
Documentation available on request
Regulatory note
Supplied as a cosmetic-grade peptide active under the EU EC 1223/2009 cosmetic regulation, NMPA cosmetic ingredient framework, FDA OTC monograph framework (where applicable), and equivalent regimes elsewhere. NOT a finished cosmetic product. Brand registration, finished-product safety substantiation, claim documentation, and notification (CPNP for EU, equivalent registries elsewhere) remain the responsibility of the brand owner. INCI naming and CAS are supplied with the SDS that ships with every lot.
Frequently asked questions
The peptide moiety is built on VGVAPG, the hexapeptide motif that repeats many times through the elastin molecule and is sometimes called the elastin 'spring fragment.' Conjugating a palmitoyl tail makes the molecule amphipathic so it can cross the stratum corneum, and the studied narrative is a firmness and skin-conditioning signal framed at the 'designed to support' level rather than a treatment claim. For a brand it reads as an elastin-fragment companion to the collagen-leaning matrikines, useful when a firming serum wants a distinct signal story on pack. Put the INCI name and CAS 171263-26-6 on the PO.
The palmitoyl tail makes the molecule amphipathic: the lipid partitions into the stratum-corneum lipids so the peptide moiety can reach the viable epidermis. That same hydrophobicity means a straight water add tends to form agglomerates, so the active is best pre-dispersed in a small polysorbate or polyglyceryl co-solvent slurry at moderate temperature, then carried into the batch on the cool-down. Hold pH 5.0–7.0 — alkaline drift hydrolyses the palmitoyl amide bond and gives a stability programme a second-peak problem on HPLC. It does not self-preserve, so the preservation system has to hold the whole product.
Sample fills are 10 mg for first-pass bench iterations and 100 mg once a carrier is selected and stability work begins; brand programmes scale to kilo lots on the standard OEM cycle. Every shipment carries the INCI name (Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12), the CAS, an allergen and trace-impurity statement for CPNP and equivalent cosmetic notifications, and a formulation-notes card. We supply the cosmetic-grade ingredient and its ingredient-level documentation; finished-product registration and claims substantiation remain the brand owner's responsibility.
Related peptides
5-mer
Palmitoyl pentapeptide-4
18-mer
Hexapeptide-9 (Collaxyl) · collagen-fragment signal active
12-mer
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 (Syn-Coll) · signal active
