Health Concerns of the Ingredient:
Overall Hazard
Developmental &
reproductive toxicity
Allergies & immunotoxicity
About ISOPROPYL MYRISTATE: Isopropyl Myristate is composed of of isopropyl alcohol and myristic acid, a common, naturally occurring fatty acid.
This ingredient may be derived from animals. From PETA's Caring Consumer: Organic acid in most animal and vegetable fats. In butter acids. Used in shampoos, creams, cosmetics. In food flavorings. Derivatives: Isopropyl Myristate, Myristal Ether Sulfate, Myristyls, Oleyl Myr ... read more
This ingredient may be derived from animals. From PETA's Caring Consumer: Organic acid in most animal and vegetable fats. In butter acids. Used in shampoos, creams, cosmetics. In food flavorings. Derivatives: Isopropyl Myristate, Myristal Ether Sulfate, Myristyls, Oleyl Myristate. Alternatives: nut butters, oil of lovage, coconut oil, extract from seed kernels of nutmeg, etc.
Function(s): Binder; Fragrance Ingredient; Skin-Conditioning Agent - Emollient; BINDING; PERFUMING; SKIN CONDITIONING; SOLVENT
Synonym(s): 1-METHYLETHYL ESTER TETRADECANOIC ACID; 1-METHYLETHYL TETRADECANOATE; IPM; ISOPROPYL ESTER MYRISTIC ACID; ISOPROPYL TETRADECONOATE; MYRISTIC ACID, ISOPROPYL ESTER; TETRADECANOIC ACID, 1-METHYLETHYL ESTER; TETRADECANOIC ACID, 1METHYLETHYL ESTER; 1-TRIDECANECARBOXYLIC ACID, ISOPROPYL ESTER; BISOMEL; CRODACOL IPM
Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)
Concern |
Reference |
Human irritant - strong evidence (only for products for use around the eyes, on the skin, or may be aerosolized (airborne)) | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
Data gaps
Concern |
Reference |
Risk assessment method deficiencies and data gaps - Maximum reported "as used" concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in product | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
1,910 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical see search results -> | NLM PubMed |
Ecotoxicology
Concern |
Reference |
Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
Concern |
Reference |
Not suspected to be persistent | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
Concern |
Reference |
Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmful | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Multiple, additive exposure sources
Concern |
Reference |
Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Everything Added to Food |
Data Sources
CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC. |
EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry. |
FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. |
IFRA (International Fragrance Assocication). 2010. IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List based on 2008 Use Survey. Accessed online 01/04/2010: http://www.ifraorg.org/Home/News/Latest-News/page.aspx/66?xf_itemId=43&xf_selectionDatapartId=25 |
NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov. |
Products Containing the Ingredient
About the Skin Deep® ratings
EWG provides information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature, to supplement incomplete data available from companies and the government. The ratings below indicate the relative level of concern posed by exposure to the ingredients in this product - not the product itself - compared to other product formulations. The ratings reflect potential health hazards but do not account for the level of exposure or individual susceptibility, factors which determine actual health risks, if any.
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