Myristyl lactate: is it comedogenic? What it does in skincare

What it does

Rich emollient ester that softens and smooths skin.

• Emollient
• Skin conditioning

Myristyl lactate in plain English

Myristyl lactate is an ester of myristyl alcohol and lactic acid that leaves skin feeling soft and velvety. Despite the lactic acid in its name, it does not exfoliate. It rates high 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 myristyl lactate bad for acne?

It can be. Myristyl lactate 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: A rich emollient ester that rates high on classic comedogenic lists.

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

Also called

• Myristyl Lactate
• Tetradecyl lactate

Related ingredients

• Acetylated lanolin alcoholHigh clog riskLight lanolin-based emollient that softens skin
• Algae extractHigh clog riskSeaweed extract that hydrates but rates high for clogging pores
• Bladderwrack extractModerate clog riskBrown seaweed extract that hydrates and may clog pores
• Butyl myristateModerate clog riskSoftening ester in the myristate family, may clog pores
• Butyl stearateHigh clog riskEmollient ester that softens skin and adds slip
• Cetyl acetateModerate clog riskEmollient ester that softens skin