Is Isopropyl Myristate safe in cosmetics?
Isopropyl Myristate has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Isopropyl Myristate
Also known as: Tetradecanoic acid, 1-methylethyl ester, Isopropyl myristate-PM, EC No.: 203-751-4, Isopropyl tetradecanoic acid, BRN 1781127 (+14 more)
INCI: ISOPROPYL MYRISTATE
Isopropyl Myristate (CAS 110-27-0) is a cosmetic emollient functioning as Isopropyl ester of myristic acid (C14:0). Lightweight penetration-enhancing. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data.
Function
Isopropyl ester of myristic acid (C14:0). Lightweight penetration-enhancing emollient with low viscosity. Functions as emollient, skin-conditioning agent, penetration enhancer, and formulation carrier. Synthetically defined with excellent batch-to-batch consistency versus natural oils. Widely used in rinse-off and leave-on formulations as a carrier for lipophilic actives.
Editorial assessment
GOOD
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
CIR reviewed and considered safe at current use concentrations. Penetration-enhancing properties increase skin permeability to co-formulated actives. Comedogenic concern: increases follicular lipid load and can promote microcomedone formation in sensitive/acne-prone individuals. Not preferred in acne-prone formulations. FDA no specific restrictions.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Isopropyl Myristate.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Dermal Penetration Profile
Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of Isopropyl Myristate, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.
Absorption %
8-15%
Penetration Level
stratum-corneum
Penetration Depth
stratum corneum/epidermis
Molecular Weight
270.5 Da
Log P
7.3
Systemic Absorption
minimal
Topical Bioavailability
5-12%
Safety Margin Factor
moderate
Vehicle Dependent
Yes — absorption varies by formulation
Source: CIR Expert Panel
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
4 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOEL | >1000 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | short-term | ECHA |
| LD50 | >21600 mg/kg | Guinea Pig | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
| LD50 | =49700 mg/kg | Mouse | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
| LD50 | =5000 mg/kg | Rabbit | dermal | - | ChemIDplus |
Sensitization AOP Dashboard
Adverse Outcome Pathway data across 5 assays (DPRA, KeratinoSens, hCLAT, LLNA, NESIL) aggregated from public sources.
DPRA Cys %
3.35%
DPRA Lys %
0%
KeratinoSens IC50
384.8 µM
hCLAT CV75
1000 µg/mL
LLNA EC3
44%
NESIL
12960 µg/cm²
LLNA: Weak (1B)
GHS: 1B
Human: positive
Source: LLNA: Gerberick et al. (2005); DPRA: Hoffmann et al., 2018 | Urbisch et al. 2015 [DOI:10.1016/j.yrtph.2014.12.008]; KS: Natsch et al. 2013 [DOI:10.1002/jat.2868]; hCLAT: No reference provided in NICEATM database; HPPT: [33] Kligman AM (1974): Report to RIFM, 4 June, unpublished.
HRIPT Human Patch Test Studies
1 human repeat insult patch test aggregated from dermatological literature.
| Test Type | N | Sensitized | Dose µg/cm² | NESIL µg/cm² | Potency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HMT | - | 0 | 12960 | - | - |
Endocrine Disruptor Evidence (Expanded)
Cross-referenced EDC classifications, mechanism data, and dose-response evidence from EDLists, SIN List, and cosmetic-specific detail sources.
Cosmetic-Specific Mechanism
Category: other
Receptor targets: PPARγ (weak)
LOEC: 10 µM
EU status: allowed
weak PPARγ agonist (via fatty acid pathway)
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
10,000 - 100,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Typical Use Concentrations
Reported concentration ranges per product category from SCCS/CIR/industry sources.
| Product Category | Typical Range | Max Reported | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Face Cream | 3–5 | 20 | CIR Safety Assessment |
| Body Lotion | 3–7 | 20 | CIR Safety Assessment |
| Lipstick | 5–15 | 30 | CIR Safety Assessment |
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Binder
Deodorizer
Diluent
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Humectant
Lubricating agent
Softener and conditioner
Solubility enhancer
Solvent
Regulatory List Membership (6)
EU Regulated in Personal Care
EU Restricted for Children (Cosmetics)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
EPA Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Consumer Product Chemical
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Isopropyl Myristate — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
penetration-enhancer
comedogenic-risk
not-for-acne-prone
cir-assessed
synthetically-defined
eu_children_restricted
epa_safer_alternative
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
jecfa_safe
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Isopropyl Myristate by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
6
Lowest NOAEL
1000 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
5500 mg/kg bw/day
ECHA
Known Synonyms
Tetradecanoic acid, 1-methylethyl ester
Isopropyl myristate-PM
EC No.: 203-751-4
Isopropyl tetradecanoic acid
BRN 1781127
Caswell No. 511E
Crodamol I.P.M.
Deltyl Extra
Deltylextra
EINECS 203-751-4
Emcol-IM
EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 000207
Estergel
FEMA No. 3556
JA-FA IPM
Kessco isopropyl myristate
Plymoutm IPM
Starfol IPM
Stepan D-50
Chemical Function
Fragrance
Softener and conditioner
Regulatory Lists
active_ingredient; Pesticides
inert_ingredient; Pesticides
inert_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
detected; Europe; Other direct contact consumer goods
detected; Europe; Other direct contact consumer goods
children; Europe; Personal care
children; Europe; Personal care - general moisturizing - hand/body lotion
children; Europe; Personal care
Europe; Personal care - liniment
Europe; Personal care
Europe; Personal care
IFRA Transparency
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
SCIL (9/2019)
Canada; pharmaceutical
Canada; pharmaceutical
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Compound
ISOPROPYL MYRISTATE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL207602
Max Phase
-1
Adverse Event Associations
312
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Isopropyl Myristate allowed in the EU?
Isopropyl Myristate EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Isopropyl Myristate do in cosmetics?
Isopropyl Myristate functions as: Isopropyl ester of myristic acid (C14:0). Lightweight penetration-enhancing emollient with low viscosity. Functions as emollient, skin-conditioning agent, penetration enhancer, and formulation carrier. Synthetically defined with excellent batch-to-batch consistency versus natural oils. Widely used in rinse-off and leave-on formulations as a carrier for lipophilic actives.. It is classified as a Emollient in our database. CAS number: 110-27-0.
Is Isopropyl Myristate used outside cosmetics?
Isopropyl Myristate also appears in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check Isopropyl Myristate compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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Substance Compliance
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MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
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