Small molecule highly polar grease
Isopropyl myristate (IPM for short) is a classic small molecule fatty acid ester softening oil in the fields of skin care, makeup, sunscreen and medicine transdermal.With its excellent spreading ability, moderate polarity properties, and light and refreshing skin feeling, IPM is suitable for many categories of products and is the core basic raw material with strong versatility in the formula.
Molecular structure
The core of IPM's excellent performance is its unique and delicate molecular structure.In terms of chemical properties, IPM is a saturated fatty acid ester synthesized by esterification of myristic acid (C14 straight-chain saturated fatty acid) and isopropanol. The molecular formula is C₁₇H₃₄O₂ and the molecular weight is only 270.46. It is a typical small molecule light oil.Its molecular chain is divided into two segments, one end is a 14-carbon linear fatty chain, and the other end is an isopropyl ester branched chain. The unique structural combination gives IPM many exclusive formula advantages.
First of all, the low viscosity structure of small molecules creates a super spreading ability.The molecular chain of IPM is short and flexible. The force between the molecules is small and the arrangement is loose. At 25℃, the viscosity is only about 5 MPa·s, which is far better than conventional skin care oils such as vegetable oils, triglycerides, and mineral oils.The low viscosity characteristics give IPM excellent fluidity. When applied to the skin, it can quickly spread out to form a uniform and thin protective film, which completely improves the heavy, sticky, and difficult-to-push skin care products, and brings a silky and light basic skin feeling to the product.
Secondly, the moderately polar ester-based structure balances the solubility and system compatibility.Unlike the completely non—polar properties of mineral oils and isoalkanes, the ester group (—COO-) contained in IPM molecules has weak polarity. This composite structure of “non-polar backbone + polar group” allows it to have excellent oil phase solubility and broad-spectrum formula adaptability at the same time.On the one hand, polar ester groups can effectively dissolve all kinds of oil-soluble chemical sunscreens, flavors, and fat-soluble active ingredients, and properly solve the formulation problems of uneven dispersion of sunscreens and volatile flavors.On the other hand, the non-polar fat chain can be fully miscible with natural oils, silicone oils, waxes and other grease raw materials, and can be perfectly adapted to mainstream emulsifying systems such as Oil in water emulsifier and Water in oil emulsifier.
Finally, the branched structure greatly improves the stability of raw materials and skin permeability.IPM's isopropyl ester branched chain breaks the traditional molecular arrangement of straight-chain fatty acid esters, effectively reduces the probability of crystallization, and can remain in a liquid state even in a low temperature environment. There will be no solidification or stratification problems, and it is suitable for formula production and long-term storage in various scenarios.At the same time, its small molecular structure is extremely compatible with human sebum, and it can gently adjust the lipid arrangement of the stratum corneum, gently penetrate the surface of the skin, and assist various active ingredients to be better absorbed and utilized by the skin.
Core performance
(1) Spreading quickly, the skin feels light and refreshing
The core advantage of IPM is the fast spreading power comparable to silicon, as well as the high-quality skin feeling of “light, smooth, dry and non-stick hands”.In skin care products such as lotions, creams, body creams, etc., adding IPM can effectively weaken the heavyness of the high-oil system and neutralize the sticky residues that come with raw materials such as petroleum jelly, shea butter, and high-melting wax.After the product is applied to the face and upper body, it can quickly form a light and breathable oil film, which greatly reduces the friction of application, and gives consumers a quick absorption, refreshing and non-stuffy skin experience.
(2) Gentle penetration, blessing effect absorption
In effective skin care and cosmeceutical formulas, the gentle transdermal synergistic effect of IPM is particularly critical.As a small molecule oil, it can naturally blend with the sebum on the surface of the skin, gently loosen the lipid structure of the stratum corneum, reduce the resistance of active ingredients to penetrate into the skin, and help vitamins, salicylic acid, retinol and other fat-soluble active ingredients spread evenly and penetrate deep into the stratum corneum, effectively improving the efficacy and utilization rate of skin care products.
(3) Adapt to the sunscreen system and optimize the sunscreen experience
Among sunscreen products, IPM is a high-quality co-solvent for chemical sunscreens, which perfectly solves the pain points of heavy whitening, unwinding, and mud rubbing of traditional sunscreens.First, with its medium polarity properties, IPM can efficiently dissolve all kinds of oil-soluble chemical sunscreens, prevent the crystallization and precipitation of sunscreens, and ensure that the sun protection film is uniform and complete, and the sun protection effect is stable.Second, the super spreading performance can optimize the ductility of the sunscreen film, allowing sunscreen products to form a film quickly, reducing stickiness and facial blanking.Third, the light skin texture makes it highly suitable for lightweight sunscreen products such as sunscreen sprays and refreshing sun creams.
(4) Wet the makeup powder to improve the dispersion of the powder
In the field of makeup, IPM relies on its excellent powder wetting properties to become the core dispersing oil for liquid foundation, lip glaze, concealer and other paste makeup.Powder raw materials such as pigments and fillers commonly used in makeup are prone to agglomeration and agglomeration. IPM can quickly wet the powder particles, reduce the friction between the particles, and avoid powder agglomeration from the root cause, so that the powder is dispersed more evenly in the oil phase system, effectively improving the fineness and skin-to-skin of makeup products.
Formula application
In the formula of refreshing skin feeling, IPM is often used in combination with isoalkanes and silicone oils: with C13 14 isoproaffin, it can further enhance the dry texture of the product, and it is suitable for use in sunscreen sprays, dry hair sprays and other products; combined with silicone oil, it can make up for the shortcoming of silicone oil “empty smoothness and no texture”, enhance the real skin's sense of lubrication, and is mostly used in refreshing lotions, essential oils and other products.
In the high-oil and heavy formula, IPM can be used with natural oils and wax raw materials to optimize the skin feeling: it can be combined with natural oils such as shea butter and jojoba oil to weaken the heavy and stuffy skin feeling of natural oils and enhance the spreadability of the product; it can be combined with high-melting waxes such as petroleum jelly and beeswax to solve the problem of dry wax raw materials and difficult to push away. It is widely used in moisturizing products such as creams and body care oils.
In the formulation of effective skin care and makeup, the synergistic and dispersing advantages of IPM can be fully utilized: it can be combined with retinol, salicylic acid and other effective active substances to improve the transdermal absorption efficiency of ingredients and strengthen the skin care effect; it can be combined with makeup powder to enhance the dispersion and adhesion of the powder to the skin, and it is suitable for all kinds of base makeup and concealer products.In addition, the combination of IPM and Butyl stearate can also optimize the overall architecture of the cream, taking into account the stability of the formula and the high-quality skin feeling.
Raw material limitations
First, there is a risk of acne caused by high-dose addition.IPM has strong skin permeability and a certain degree of closure. If the concentration of additives in the formula is too high (usually >5%), it is prone to skin problems such as stuffy acne, long closed mouth, and clogged pores for oily acne muscles and sensitive muscles. Therefore, acne skin care products need to strictly control their addition.
Second, it is non-volatile and has a slight residual feeling.IPM is a non-volatile oil. Compared with isoalkanes such as Isododecane, a thin oily film will remain on the surface of the skin after application, which cannot achieve complete and extreme dryness.In the formulation, the freshness and moisturizing properties of the product can be balanced by reducing the proportion of IPM added and matching volatile isoalkanes.
Third, high additives can easily destroy the formula architecture.IPM spreading ability is too strong, and excessive addition will reduce the structural support of high-viscosity formulas, weakening the pearlescent suspension effect and system stability of pearlescent shampoos and high-structure creams.For this type of formula, it is necessary to accurately control the amount of IPM, or use a special thickening stabilizer to maintain the stable state of the formula system.
From a macro perspective
Since its industrial application in the 1960s, IPM has been verified by decades of actual market combat and is still an indispensable core raw material in the global cosmetics, personal care and pharmaceutical fields.Relevant data show that the global IPM market size in 2023 will be about 382 million US dollars, of which the application in the field of cosmetics and personal care accounts for 68.5%, and the field of pharmaceutical preparations accounts for 19.2%. The remaining share is mainly used in food additives, industrial additives and other scenarios.
Looking at the raw material market, IPM can maintain a stable market position for a long time, the core lies in its irreplaceable structural advantages and precise formula adaptability.With its solid and comprehensive performance, it accurately solves the core pain points of various formulas, and has become a key link between basic oils and efficacy raw materials. It is also a classic basic raw material that is just needed for a long time in the beauty and pharmaceutical industries.
Hubei Mingya New Material Technology Co., Ltd.
