Acetyl Carnitine

Acetyl Carnitine molecular structure
molecular structure · PubChem
AKA: Acetyl-DL-carnitine, 14992-62-2, DL-O-Acetylcarnitine, DL-Acetylcarnitine, 3-(acetyloxy)-4-(trimethylazaniumyl)butanoate, 3-Acetoxy-4-(trimethylammonio)butanoate
Synthetic
Skin Conditioner
Amino Acid
Clean
1-Propanaminium, 2-(Acetyloxy)-3-Carboxy-N,N,N-Trimethyl-, Inner Salt; Acetylcarnitine
Formula
C9H17NO4
Mol. Weight
203.24
CAS #
14992-62-2
Form
Powder
Functions
Skin Conditioning
A catch-all term for ingredients that improve how skin looks and feels — softer, smoother, more supple. The workhorse behind most moisturizers.
Locks in moisture
Traditional Use
Discovered as a naturally occurring compound in the body; introduced to cosmetics in the 1990s for its potential to improve skin firmness and cellular energy metabolism.
EWG
1
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Yes
CIR Safety Findings
Not a Sensitizer
ewg-1
medical-approval
pregnancy-nursing-safe
all-shades-safe
Regulatory Status
USA✔ permitted
EU⚠ restricted
JAPAN⚠ restricted
CANADA⚠ restricted
Skin Types
●all-skin-types, gentle
Best For
Fine Lines
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
The paper trail
🔬Peer-reviewed1 paper →
⚖️Regulatory1 listing →
🛡️Safety-assessed2 reviews →
Counts, not a verdict. A listing isn't a study. The trail, you decide.
Verified Jun 2026
Data: PubChem · CosIng · EWG · CIR