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

What it does

Emollient ester that softens and conditions skin.

• Binding
• Emollient
• Skin conditioning

Isopropyl linoleate in plain English

Isopropyl linoleate is an ester made from isopropyl alcohol and linoleic acid, used to soften and condition skin. It is an isopropyl ester and shows up on classic comedogenic lists like its relatives. 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 linoleate bad for acne?

It can be. Isopropyl linoleate has a high clog risk rating for acne-prone skin. In Fulton's 1989 rabbit-ear test it scored 4 out of 5 for clogging pores and 2 out of 5 for irritation. That test used the raw ingredient, so a small amount in a finished product may behave differently. 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: An isopropyl ester flagged on classic comedogenic lists.

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

Also called

• Isopropyl Linoleate
• Linoleic acid isopropyl ester

Related ingredients

• Isopropyl isostearateHigh clog riskSilky emollient ester that softens skin
• Isopropyl lanolateModerate clog riskRich lanolin-based emollient that softens and protects
• Isopropyl stearateModerate clog riskEmollient ester that softens skin and adds slip
• Isostearyl isostearateHigh clog riskHeavy, cushiony emollient that softens dry skin
• Isostearyl neopentanoateHigh clog riskSilky emollient ester common in makeup and lip products
• Acetylated lanolin alcoholHigh clog riskLight lanolin-based emollient that softens skin