Ingredient decoder

Diethylhexyl malate: is it comedogenic? What it does in skincare

INCI name: Diethylhexyl Malate

Acne verdict Watch

Worth watching on acne-prone skin

  • Comedogenic3 / 5
  • Irritancy1 / 5

What it does

Light emollient that softens skin.

  • Emollient
  • Skin conditioning

Diethylhexyl malate in plain English

Diethylhexyl malate is an ester of malic acid used as a light emollient and solvent. It helps formulas glide and leaves skin soft. There is no specific evidence about acne.

Is diethylhexyl malate bad for acne?

Not usually, but it is worth watching. Diethylhexyl malate is not a proven pore-clogger, but it can bother some breakout-prone or sensitive skin. In Fulton's 1989 rabbit-ear test it scored 3 out of 5 for clogging pores and 1 out of 5 for irritation. Notice how your skin reacts when a product lists it near the top.

Clean routine and still breaking out? The cause may be internal. See what is driving it

Also called

  • Diethylhexyl Malate

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Frequently asked questions

Is diethylhexyl malate comedogenic?

Diethylhexyl malate scored 3 out of 5 for comedogenicity in Fulton's 1989 rabbit-ear study, where 0 means no clogging and 5 means severe. That is a moderate rating. The test used the raw ingredient, so a finished product may behave differently.

What does diethylhexyl malate do in skincare?

In short: light emollient that softens skin. In formulas it is used for emollient and skin conditioning.

How can I check if a product with diethylhexyl malate is acne-safe?

Paste the product's full ingredient list into the free breakoutLabs acne-safe checker. It decodes every ingredient, flags commonly cited pore-cloggers and irritants, and points out acne fighters.

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