C11-13 Isoalkane ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a lightweight emollient and solvent that gives slip, spread, and a dry-touch finish. It is often used to dissolve oil-soluble actives, pigments, waxes, and film formers.
What does C11-13 Isoalkane do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a lightweight emollient and solvent that gives slip, spread, and a dry-touch finish. It is often used to dissolve oil-soluble actives, pigments, waxes, and film formers.
Is C11-13 Isoalkane clean?
From a clean-beauty lens, it is usually low in odor, low in sensitization potential, and not a common allergen. The main friction is its synthetic petrochemical origin and the fact that some standards do not accept it in natural or organic formulas.
Is C11-13 Isoalkane sustainable?
This material is typically made from nonrenewable hydrocarbon feedstocks. It can biodegrade under favorable conditions, but branching can slow breakdown compared with straight-chain materials, and it offers limited renewable-sourcing value.
Is C11-13 Isoalkane COSMOS-approved?
It is not permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic in typical petroleum-derived supply. Its Green Chemistry fit is weak on renewable feedstock and natural-origin criteria, although the molecule is chemically simple and generally stable in use.
How does C11-13 Isoalkane work chemically?
The molecule is a branched, saturated hydrocarbon mixture with 11 to 13 carbon atoms, making it nonpolar, water-insoluble, and more volatile than heavier mineral oils. It is stable across normal cosmetic pH because it has no hydrolyzable functional groups, and it is commonly used in anhydrous systems, emulsions, color cosmetics, and sunscreens at low-to-moderate percentages.
Last updated 2026-05-14