Very Disliked
Isostearyl Alcohol
Fatty Alcohol
Fatty alcohols (like cetyl, stearyl, or cetearyl alcohol) are moisturizing ingredients that help thicken products. Despite the similar name, they're nothing like drying alcohols. Some people find them pore-clogging, but many tolerate them well.
May feed Fungal Acne
Non-fungal acne-safe products contain ingredients that can worsen fungal acne. If you suspect fungal acne, consult a dermatologist for proper diagnosis.
Explained
Isostearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol. It's made by hydrogenating isostearic acid from plant oils (usually coconut or soybean)
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not the same as solvent alcohols like alcohol denatured.
It has three roles in skincare:
- It is an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin
- It is a co-emulsifier that helps ingredients stay blended together
- It is a viscosity builder that helps thicken a formula
Clinical patch testing found 25% of Isostearyl Alcohol in petrolatum showed only mild irritation in a small minority (your product will not have nearly as high of an amount).
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because it sits in the C11-C24 range that feeds the Malassezia yeast.
One last thing, the FDA allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols.
See all 369 products with Isostearyl Alcohol
Users who like it
8%
Users who avoid it
92%
What it does
Emollient
Having the quality of softening or soothing the skin.
Skin Conditioning
To hydrate and soften skin
Prevalence
Less common
Percentage of products that contain it
0.3%
Top categories
Makeup
Lip Care
Moisturizers
Position
Predominant list placement
Top 25%
Concentration
Concentrations we've seen
3%
References
CosIng Data
CosIng ID
34752
INCI Name
ISOSTEARYL ALCOHOL
EC #
 248-470-8
All Functions
Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Viscosity Controlling
