C9-12 Isoparaffin

What Is It?

Isoparaffins are branched chain hydrocarbons. Isoparaffin ingredients most frequently found cosmetics and personal care products are C13-14 Isoparaffin, Isododecane and Isohexadecane.

Other Isoparaffin ingredients that may be found in cosmetics and personal care products include: C7-8 Isoparaffin, C8-9 Isoparaffin, C9-11 Isoparaffin, C9-12 Isoparaffin, C9-13 Isoparaffin, C9-14 Isoparaffin, C9-16 Isoparaffin, C10-11 Isoparaffin, C10-12 Isoparaffin, C10-13 Isoparaffin, C11-12 Isoparaffin, C11-13 Isoparaffin, C11-14 Isoparaffin, C12-14 Isoparaffin, C12-20 Isoparaffin, C13-16 Isoparaffin, C18-70 Isoparaffin, C20-40 Isoparaffin, Isooctane and Isoeicosane.

In cosmetics and personal care products, Isoparaffin ingredients may be used in eye makeup preparations, including mascara, makeup preparations, manicuring preparations, skin care and hair care products.

Why Is It Used?

The isoparaffin ingredients function primarily as solvents in cosmetics and personal care products.

The following additional functions have also been reported for the isoparaffin ingredients.

  • Skin-conditioning agent — emollient — Isohexadecane, C9-16 Isoparaffin, C12-20 Isoparaffin, C20-40 Isoparaffin, Isoeicosane
  • Skin-conditioning agent — miscellaneous — C11-12 Isoparaffin
  • Skin-conditioning agent — occlusive – C18-17 Isoparaffin
  • Viscosity decreasing agent — C7-8 Isoparaffin, C8-9 Isoparaffin, C9-11 Isoparaffin, C9-12 Isoparaffin, C9-13 Isoparaffin, C9-14 Isoparaffin, C10-11 Isoparaffin, C10-12 Isoparaffin, C11-14 Isoparaffin

Scientific Facts

Isoparaffins are branched-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons. The C followed by the numbers in the ingredient name represents the number of carbons in the chain.

For example, C13-14 Isoparaffin is a mixture of branched-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons with 13 or 14 carbons in the chain. Isoparaffin ingredients containing aliphatic hydrocarbons with predominantly a single carbon chain length have names that represent the number of carbons in the chain.

For example, Isooctane has 8 carbons, Isododecane has 12 carbons, Isohexadecane has 16 carbons and Isoeicosane has 20 carbons.
Safety Information

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permits synthetic isoparaffin petroleum hydrocarbons to be used directly in some foods. For example, these compounds are permitted in coatings on fruits and vegetables.

Synthetic isoparaffin petroleum hydrocarbons are also permitted to be used secondary direct food additives as defoaming agents.

The safety of C13-14 Isoparaffin, Isododecane and Isohexadecane, as well as the other Isoparaffin ingredients has been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel. The CIR Expert Panel evaluated that scientific data and concluded that these ingredients were safe for use in cosmetics.

CIR Safety Review:

As the Isoparaffin ingredients differ only by carbon chain length, the CIR Expert Panel reviewed the group of Isoparaffin ingredients (C7-8 Isoparaffin, C8-9 Isoparaffin, C9-11 Isoparaffin, C9-12 Isoparaffin, C9-13 Isoparaffin, C9-14 Isoparaffin, C9-16 Isoparaffin, C10-11 Isoparaffin, C10-12 Isoparaffin, C10-13 Isoparaffin, C11-12 Isoparaffin, C11-13 Isoparaffin, C11-14 Isoparaffin, C12-14 Isoparaffin, C12-20 Isoparaffin, C13-14 Isoparaffin, C13-16 Isoparaffin, C18-70 Isoparaffin, C20-40 Isoparaffin, Isooctane, Isohexadecane, Isododecane, Isoeicosane) together. Isoparaffin ingredients were not genotoxic.

They also tested negative in reproductive and developmental toxicity studies. Exposure of male rats to Isoparaffin ingredients and other hydrocarbons was associated with effects on the kidneys. The CIR Expert Panel noted that the mechanism of kidney effects in male rats exposed to hydrocarbons is well known and not relevant to humans because it involves a protein made in the kidneys of male rats but not made in humans.

The CIR Expert Panel also reviewed information that indicated that the Isoparaffin ingredients at concentrations used in cosmetics and personal care products were not sensitizers, and dermal effects were not increased when these compounds were applied to the skin and exposed to sunlight.

Based on the available data, the CIR Expert Panel concluded that C7-8 Isoparaffin, C8-9 Isoparaffin, C9-11 Isoparaffin, C9-12 Isoparaffin, C9-13 Isoparaffin, C9-14 Isoparaffin, C9-16 Isoparaffin, C10-11 Isoparaffin, C10-12 Isoparaffin, C10-13 Isoparaffin, C11-12 Isoparaffin, C11-13 Isoparaffin, C11-14 Isoparaffin, C12-14 Isoparaffin, C12-20 Isoparaffin, C13-14 Isoparaffin, C13-16 Isoparaffin, C18-70 Isoparaffin, C20-40 Isoparaffin, Isooctane, Isohexadecane, Isododecane and Isoeicosane were safe for use in cosmetics.

Link to FDA Code of Federal Regulations for synthetic isoparaffinic petroleum hydrocarbons:

The Isoparaffin ingredients may be used in cosmetics and personal care products marketed in Europe according to the general provisions of the Cosmetics Regulation of the European Union.

Link to the EU Cosmetic Regulation: http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/product_labelling_and_packaging/co0013_en.htm

More Scientific Information

Hydrocarbons, including isoparaffin ingredients, are compounds that contain only carbon and hydrogen. They are generally derived from natural gas and oil.
Resources

Find out more about the regulation of Food Additives by the Food and Drug Administration

Food Ingredients and Packaging: https://www.fda.gov/food/food-ingredients-packaging

Search the Code of Federal Regulations http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm

EU Cosmetics Inventory http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cosmetics/cosing/