Dimethyl isosorbide
On the label: Dimethyl Isosorbide · Solvent
What it is
A sugar-derived solvent that helps actives like retinoids and salicylic acid penetrate.
Solvents: Solvents dissolve the other ingredients; water is the commonest, followed by alcohols and glycols.
Wikidata: Chemical compound. Q5807233 →
In the research
31 PubMed papers mention it with skin, cosmetics or hair; the three most recent:
- Development of a hydrophilic transdermal patch for combined delivery of sumatriptan and metoclopramide in migraine therapy · Drug delivery and translational research, 2026
- New Skin-Relevant Cell Coculture Model With Stratum Corneum-Like Layer · BioMed research international, 2024
- Skin penetration of caffeine from commercial eye creams and eye creams designed and optimized based on Hansen solubility parameters · International journal of pharmaceutics, 2023
A paper is a paper, not a verdict: titles are listed so you can read them, and a study on cells or mice says little about a cream on a face.
Other solvents
Dew & Balm describes ingredients from the public record and makes no claim about what a product will do for you. Statements about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA. If a product causes a reaction, stop using it; a reaction that spreads or affects breathing is a call to a doctor or 911.