Di
Dimethyl Isosorbide
Dimethyl Isosorbide
A penetration-enhancing solvent that dissolves hard-to-formulate ingredients and helps them spread.
What it does
Dimethyl isosorbide is a small, sugar-derived solvent. It dissolves ingredients that are otherwise hard to formulate and helps carry them into the upper skin layers, so it is used to improve the delivery and spread of other ingredients. It is a solvent-and-carrier ingredient rather than a skin active.
Also known as
dmi
Browse all 668 ingredients — grouped by what they do, each with whatever evidence we can cite.
This page is public so a shared ingredient card always has its sources behind it — and so you can check them without an account.
Want more like this?
Every evidence-based flag cites its source, Drop tells you when your routine is complete, and it helps you simplify — instead of selling you more. The app launches on iOS and Android in October 2026. Rate my routine works today at /rate — no sign-in.