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Isopropyl Myristate

ISOPROPYL MYRISTATE

Data confidence:High
Malassezia Trigger

Can feed malassezia yeast, potentially worsening malassezia-related skin conditions. Avoid if you are malassezia-sensitive.

Function

Emollient, Skin-Conditioning Agent, Binder

EWG Safety Score

3/10Moderate concern

About this ingredient

Isopropyl myristate is an ester of isopropyl alcohol and myristic acid, used to give a formula a light, fast-absorbing slip without a greasy after-feel. Sunscreen and moisturiser brands like it because it thins out heavier ingredients and makes a product spread easily. Two things keep it on watch lists. It is moderately comedogenic, so it can clog pores in acne-prone skin. And its myristic acid component sits inside the C11-C24 fatty-acid range that Malassezia yeast feeds on, which makes it a well-documented fungal-acne trigger. It can also increase how much of other ingredients the skin absorbs.

Found in 1+ sunscreens