What a 2/5 rating means
On the comedogenic scale, a 2 is still within the non-comedogenic range that dermatologists generally consider low-risk. That places Retinyl Palmitate in the range most people, including many with acne-prone skin, tolerate well.
One thing the number cannot tell you is concentration. Ingredients are listed in descending order, so Retinyl Palmitate near the end of a label is present in tiny amounts and matters far less than the same ingredient near the top.
About Retinyl Palmitate
It is an active ingredient included for a specific skin benefit. A gentle vitamin A ester rated 2/5. As a palmitate it is occasionally flagged for fungal acne.
On a label it can read as Retinyl Palmitate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin A Palmitate — worth knowing when you scan an ingredient deck.
Retinyl Palmitate in makeup and skincare
It is formulated into targeted treatments and some makeup-skincare hybrids. Its irritancy is rated separately at 1/5, which is low.
If you deal with fungal acne (malassezia folliculitis) rather than ordinary clogged pores, note that Retinyl Palmitate is among the fatty-acid or ester-type ingredients that community sources commonly avoid — a separate concern from its comedogenic score, and one with weaker evidence behind it.