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

What it does

Light, fast-absorbing oil that helps spread a formula.

• Binding
• Emollient
• Masking
• Perfuming

Isopropyl myristate in plain English

Isopropyl myristate is a light, oily liquid that makes creams and makeup spread easily and feel less greasy. It helps other ingredients soak in, which is part of why it worries people with acne-prone skin. It is one of the best-known pore-cloggers on classic comedogenic lists. 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 myristate bad for acne?

It can be. Isopropyl myristate has a high clog risk rating for acne-prone skin. In Fulton's 1989 rabbit-ear test it scored 5 out of 5 for clogging pores and 3 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: A classic pore-clogger. Named as a top offender in rabbit-ear testing.

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

Also called

• Isopropyl Myristate
• IPM
• Isopropyl tetradecanoate
• Isopropylis myristas
• Myristic acid isopropyl ester

Related ingredients

• Isopropyl palmitateHigh clog riskLight emollient oil that softens skin and thins out formulas
• Oleyl alcoholModerate clog riskLiquid fatty alcohol that softens skin and helps absorption
• Algae extractHigh clog riskSeaweed extract that hydrates but rates high for clogging pores
• Butyl stearateHigh clog riskEmollient ester that softens skin and adds slip
• Cetyl acetateModerate clog riskEmollient ester that softens skin
• Cocoa butterHigh clog riskRich butter that softens skin but can clog pores