Is
Isopropyl Palmitate
Isopropyl PalmitateBarrier
A slightly heavier cousin of isopropyl myristate in body care and makeup. Like it, it clogged pores in rabbit-ear tests.
What it does
It’s also common in hair products. Its reputation for clogging pores comes from animal tests, not tests on faces.
The EU’s ingredient database lists it as an emollient (gives skin a soft, smooth look) and a binder (holds the product together).European Commission, CosIng (© European Union, CC BY 4.0) · uses put in plain words by Drop ↗
The evidence, graded
emergingIn rabbit-ear tests, isopropyl myristate, isopropyl palmitate, cocoa butter and other esters clogged pores, while petrolatum and paraffin did not; a 1989 test graded “coconut butter” 4 of 5. The rabbit test is more sensitive than human skin, and whether high scorers clog human pores is uncertain. In a small human test, finished products with them did not necessarily clog pores. The 1989 test graded mineral oil 0 to 2, squalane and dimethicone 1, glycerin 0; hyaluronic acid is untested.Nguyen 2007 · Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology ↗
Graded per the methodology: strong · moderate · emerging · expert consensus. A weak source on a strong claim gets the weaker label.
Also known as
IPP
Browse all 1238 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.