Diisopropyl Adipate: Comedogenic Rating & Ingredient Analysis
Diisopropyl adipate is a very light emollient ester and solvent that formulators use when they want a fast, dry, almost weightless finish. It has a low viscosity and spreads thinly and quickly, so it disappears into the skin without any oily residue. Beyond softening the skin, it is a capable solvent that helps dissolve other ingredients such as sunscreen filters and oil-soluble actives, and it can improve how well certain ingredients spread and penetrate. You will find it in serums, sunscreens, lightweight lotions and makeup where a clean, dry feel is the goal.
Quick facts
- Comedogenic rating
- measured (Fulton 1989)
- Irritation risk
- Low
- Effective pH
- —
- Typical strength
- 1–10%
- Pregnancy
- Considered safe
- Suits skin types
- oilycombinationnormalacne-prone
Where this number comes from
Read directly from Table I of Fulton's 1989 paper — the primary source, not one of the copied tables that circulate online.
Fulton read his own scale as 0-1 not significant, 2-3 borderline, 4-5 positive. The assay is the rabbit ear at 10% dilution, which the paper itself calls extremely sensitive and not fully predictive of human skin. Ratings describe the raw ingredient; concentration and formulation change real-world behaviour.
Caution profile
The four published fields on this page, on one 0–5 scale. Further from the centre means more care is needed — never that the ingredient is worse.
Derived, not measured: pore-clogging is the published comedogenic rating; irritation maps low/moderate/high to 1/3/5; pregnancy maps safe/caution/avoid to 0/3/5; skin-type limits is how many of the seven skin types this entry does NOT list. Every input is printed in words in the quick-facts card above.
Show the numbers
| Metric | 0–5 | Published field |
|---|---|---|
| Pore-clogging | 0 | 0/5 |
| Irritation | 1 | Low |
| Skin-type limits | 2.1 | 4/7 |
| Pregnancy | 0 | Considered safe |
Working pH and typical strength
Where this ingredient is formulated to sit, and at what concentration.
Both bars come from the fields above: the pH window and the typical strength range published for this ingredient. The tinted column is healthy skin's surface pH (about 4.7–5.75).
Show the numbers
| Metric | 0–5 |
|---|---|
| Typical strength | 1–10% |
What is it?
Diisopropyl adipate is an ester made from isopropyl alcohol and adipic acid. Its small, light molecular structure gives it a thin, quick-spreading texture and a dry afterfeel that contrasts with richer, heavier oils. As an emollient it smooths and softens the skin surface; as a solvent it helps carry and evenly distribute oil-soluble ingredients through a formula, and it can act as a mild penetration aid for certain actives. It is a synthetic ester with no active biological role of its own, valued for its clean sensory feel and its usefulness as a carrier in lightweight products.
Benefits
Light, dry, fast-absorbing
Its low viscosity gives a thin, quick-spreading feel that sinks in without oiliness, ideal for products meant to feel weightless.
Dissolves other ingredients
As a solvent it helps dissolve sunscreen filters and oil-soluble actives, keeping them evenly distributed through the formula.
Softens the skin
As an emollient it conditions and smooths the surface, improving the feel of lightweight lotions and serums.
Aids even application
It improves the spread of a product so sunscreens and treatments apply uniformly, supporting consistent performance.
How to use
Diisopropyl adipate is already blended into the serum, sunscreen or lotion, so use the product as normal. Its dry, light feel especially suits oily and combination skin that dislike heavier oils. There are no special layering rules. Because it can enhance penetration of some ingredients, it is simply part of how a formula is designed rather than something you adjust yourself.
Side effects
Diisopropyl adipate is considered low-irritation, and Fulton rated it 0, so it rarely clogs pores. It is generally well tolerated, though a small number of very sensitive individuals may find light ester solvents slightly drying with heavy use. It does not typically sting or sensitize intact skin at normal levels.
Who should avoid it
No skin type strictly needs to avoid it. The mismatch, where there is one, runs the opposite way from most esters: diisopropyl adipate is chosen for a dry, almost weightless finish, so very dry skin may find it thin and want a richer emollient alongside it. That is a preference about feel rather than a risk, and no pregnancy or breastfeeding restriction applies to it.
Pairs well with
Frequently asked questions
Is diisopropyl adipate safe?
Yes. It is a light emollient ester and solvent rated 0 by Fulton and with low irritation potential, considered safe and widely used in cosmetics.
What does diisopropyl adipate do?
It is a light emollient that softens skin with a dry, fast-absorbing feel, and a solvent that helps dissolve and evenly distribute sunscreen filters and oil-soluble actives.
Does diisopropyl adipate clog pores?
Fulton rated it 0, and it has a dry, light finish, so it is generally fine for acne-prone and oily skin, though rich formulas are best judged as a whole.
Why is it in sunscreen?
Its solvent ability helps dissolve UV filters and spread them evenly, while its light feel keeps the sunscreen from feeling greasy.
Is diisopropyl adipate drying?
It has a dry afterfeel rather than a rich one, so very dry skin may prefer more nourishing emollients, but it is not irritating or harshly drying at normal use levels.
Sources & further reading
Medical disclaimer
Find your personal acne triggers
Our free Acne Tracker lets you log breakouts, sleep, stress and diet, and shows you which factors correlate with your flare-ups.