Ingredient glossary
Isododecane
On your shelf ✓What Isododecane does for your skin, who it suits, and what to watch for.
INCI: Isododecane
In short: Isododecane delivers softening and volatile texture, suits combination and oily skin best, and the evidence behind it is moderate.
- What it does
- Softening, volatile texture
- Best for
- Combination, Oily skin
- Evidence
- Moderate
- How long
- Straight away
how it was measured
Measured on Spread and dry-down feel during application; the emollient effect ends when it evaporates; on contact, by mechanism.
The molecule
The Glow take
A comfort ingredient, and none the worse for it.
Isododecane is here for feel and moisture, softening the skin and slowing water loss. More comfort than correction.
— Maya
What it does
- softening
- volatile texture
moderate evidenceWidely used in long-wear and oily-skin formulas to reduce greasiness and improve feel without clogging pores.
Why we say this
- CIR safety review Safety Assessment of Isoparaffins as Used in Cosmetics 2012
On a label: usually effective at 2-20%.
The hydrocarbon family, at a glance
5 hydrocarbon entries in the base, Isododecane among them. 3 of the 5 are an emollient.
- Isododecane
- Isohexadecane
- Mineral Oil
- Petrolatum
- Squalane
Who it's for, and who should skip it
Tends to suit
- oily
- combo
Approach with care
- very dry needing occlusive
- Clogs poresLow
- Irritation riskLow
How it fits each skin type
- DryTake care
- CombinationSuits
- OilySuits
- SensitiveNeutral
Where it fits in your routine
This one works on contact — there is nothing to wait for.
What that covers, and what it does not
- Measured on: Spread and dry-down feel during application; the emollient effect ends when it evaporates.
- A volatile branched C12 alkane: it delivers slip and a fast-dry finish while present and then largely flashes off within minutes, leaving behind whatever oil-soluble film formers it carried.
- The honest reading is that its on-skin effect is instantaneous and transient, and that most of its real job is as a carrier for other materials.
- No study reports any durable skin outcome for isododecane, so there is nothing slower to time.
No trial identified. Ingredient physical chemistry (volatile saturated alkane, evaporates from skin after application).
Plays well with
- silicones
- film formers
Isododecane, answered
Is Isododecane safe during pregnancy?
Yes. Isododecane is considered safe to use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. As with anything, if you are unsure it is worth a quick word with your doctor or midwife.
Who should avoid Isododecane?
Approach Isododecane with care if any of these apply to you: very dry needing occlusive.
What concentration of Isododecane actually works?
Isododecane tends to do its job in the 2 to 20% range. Much lower and it is likely underdosed.
This, for every label you own
One ingredient is easy. A full label is where it gets confusing. The Ingredient Decoder reads any product and tells you the honest truth, ingredient by ingredient.
Sources & how we reviewed this
- CIR safety review Safety Assessment of Isoparaffins as Used in Cosmetics 2012summary page only, the document itself was not read
What changed on this page
- : whether it feeds Malassezia
- : what the EU regulates
- : sources