Ingredient decoder

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

INCI name: Isopropyl Stearate

Acne verdict Moderate clog risk

Rated a pore-clogger

  • ComedogenicNo published rating
  • IrritancyNo published rating

What it does

Emollient ester that softens skin and adds slip.

  • Binding
  • Emollient
  • Skin conditioning

Isopropyl stearate in plain English

Isopropyl stearate is an oily ester that softens skin and helps a formula glide on. It is related to isopropyl myristate, but there is less test data on it directly, so it is flagged as a moderate concern. 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 stearate bad for acne?

It can be. Isopropyl stearate 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: An isopropyl ester related to isopropyl myristate. Less data, so treat with care.

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

Also called

  • Isopropyl Stearate
  • Stearic acid isopropyl ester
  • Isopropyl octadecanoate

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Frequently asked questions

Is isopropyl stearate comedogenic?

Isopropyl stearate 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. An isopropyl ester related to isopropyl myristate. Less data, so treat with care.

What does isopropyl stearate do in skincare?

In short: emollient ester that softens skin and adds slip. In formulas it is used for binding, emollient and skin conditioning.

What else is isopropyl stearate called on ingredient labels?

On ingredient lists, isopropyl stearate can also appear as Stearic acid isopropyl ester or Isopropyl octadecanoate.

Sources