Ingredient decoder

Isopropyl lanolate: is it comedogenic? What it does in skincare

INCI name: Isopropyl Lanolate

Acne verdict Moderate clog risk

Rated a pore-clogger

  • ComedogenicNo published rating
  • IrritancyNo published rating

What it does

Rich lanolin-based emollient that softens and protects.

  • Antistatic
  • Binding
  • Emollient
  • Emulsifying
  • Skin conditioning

Isopropyl lanolate in plain English

Isopropyl lanolate is an ester made from lanolin fatty acids and isopropyl alcohol, used to soften skin and help hold pressed powders together. It combines two groups that are often flagged on comedogenic lists, isopropyl esters and modified lanolin. Its rating comes from old rabbit-ear tests of the raw ingredient, which can overstate what happens with a finished product on human skin.

Is isopropyl lanolate bad for acne?

It can be. Isopropyl lanolate has a moderate clog risk rating for acne-prone skin. It has no score of its own in Fulton's 1989 table and is flagged on classic comedogenic lists, often because of its chemical family. If you break out easily, check where it sits on the ingredient list: the higher it appears, the more of it the product usually contains.

Why it is flagged: Combines an isopropyl ester with a lanolin fatty acid, two groups that are often flagged.

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

Also called

  • Isopropyl Lanolate
  • Lanolin fatty acids isopropyl ester

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Frequently asked questions

Is isopropyl lanolate comedogenic?

Isopropyl lanolate has no score of its own in Fulton's 1989 rabbit-ear table, but it is flagged as a pore-clogger on classic comedogenic lists. Combines an isopropyl ester with a lanolin fatty acid, two groups that are often flagged.

What does isopropyl lanolate do in skincare?

In short: rich lanolin-based emollient that softens and protects. In formulas it is used for antistatic, binding, emollient, emulsifying and skin conditioning.

What else is isopropyl lanolate called on ingredient labels?

On ingredient lists, isopropyl lanolate can also appear as Lanolin fatty acids isopropyl ester.

Sources