It is found in both animals and plants, primarily from the oil of palm trees. It is most often seen as an ingredient in detergents, soaps and cleaning products, and as a surfactant, although it is used in beauty products and cosmetics for a variety of properties, including as a fragrance ingredient; opacifying agent; surfactant; cleansing agent; emulsifying agent; and emollient (CosmeticsInfo.org and Wikipedia). Palmitic Acid is approved for use up to 13% and is not considered a primary or cumulative irritant, nor sensitizer, although it does create foam and can be drying.