Isododecane
- Benchmark: Benchmark 2
- Assessed: 2025-10-03
- Expires: 2030-02-25
Used primarily in and Cosmetics & Personal Care applications, Isododecane is specifically used in cosmetics, emollient, fragrance, personal care products, and solvent.
Isododecane is a branched aliphatic hydrocarbon (i.e., isoparaffin) isolated from petroleum. It is used as a solvent, perfuming agent, and emollient in cosmetics (EC 2024). It is also used as a dispensing agent for high-reactivity organic peroxide catalysts in polymerization reactions (Santa Cruz Biotechnology 2024, CIR 2012). Isododecane is part of a mixture serving as an alternative ingredient for volatile silicone emollients in personal care products (Cosmetics Business 2012). Silicone residuals such as octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) and decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) are of concern due to the persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) properties, and are banned for use in personal care products at concentrations > 0.1% under the REACH regulation in the European Union (EU) (ECHA 2019).
Chemical Synonyms 2-Methylundecane; Undecane, 2-methyl-; 2,2,4,6,6-, Pentamethylheptane; 2-Methylhendecane; Isodo-decane; 2-Methyl undecane
Key Functions: Cosmetics & Personal Care