Isododecane
On the label: Isododecane · Solvent
What it is
A volatile hydrocarbon that evaporates after spreading; the base of long-wear lipsticks and lightweight hair oils.
Solvents: Solvents dissolve the other ingredients; water is the commonest, followed by alcohols and glycols.
Wikidata: Chemical compound. Q27147086 →
In the research
7 PubMed papers mention it with skin, cosmetics or hair; the three most recent:
- Suspension of liposome-based nanocapsules in organic solvents via surface acetylation of chitosan-deposited liposomes · Colloids and surfaces. B, Biointerfaces, 2026
- Factors to control the alignment of surface-treated titanium dioxide powders to maximize performance of sunscreens · International journal of cosmetic science, 2023
- Suppression of menthyl anthranilate (UV-A sunscreen)-sensitized singlet oxygen generation by Trolox and α-tocopherol · Photochemical & photobiological sciences : Official journal of the European Phot, 2020
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.