Myristyl Myristate ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a waxy emollient and texture builder that gives creams, balms, sticks, and color cosmetics a smooth, cushiony feel. It can also add body, improve slip, and support opacity in anhydrous or low-water formulas.
What does Myristyl Myristate do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a waxy emollient and texture builder that gives creams, balms, sticks, and color cosmetics a smooth, cushiony feel. It can also add body, improve slip, and support opacity in anhydrous or low-water formulas.
Is Myristyl Myristate clean?
From a clean beauty perspective, it is generally well tolerated and has low irritation potential. The main practical caveat is skin feel, since richer wax esters can feel heavy for some acne-prone users.
Is Myristyl Myristate sustainable?
This material is typically made from fatty alcohols and fatty acids that may come from palm, coconut, or other vegetable sources, so feedstock traceability matters. It is expected to be readily biodegradable and is not known for environmental persistence.
Is Myristyl Myristate COSMOS-approved?
It is permitted under COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic when derived from approved natural feedstocks and produced through allowed esterification chemistry. It aligns well with Green Chemistry when renewable inputs are used, with a favorable biodegradability profile and relatively simple processing.
How does Myristyl Myristate work chemically?
The molecule is a long-chain wax ester built from C14 fatty components, which explains its solid-to-waxy texture, emollience, and melting behavior near skin temperature. Typical use levels are about 1 to 10% in creams and lotions, with higher levels possible in sticks or balms, and it is generally pH-stable but can hydrolyze under strongly acidic or alkaline conditions.
Last updated 2026-05-13