Isostearic acid

INCI: Isostearic acid

What is Isostearic acid?

Isostearic acid is an 18-carbon branched-chain fatty acid naturally found in plants and animals. However, it’s a blend of many octadecanoic acids, found in vegetables and animals fat. It is prepared from soybean oil and tallow.  It comes as white to pale yellow, clear oily liquid. It is liquid at room temperature. 

Use & Benefits: 

It is chemically, a carboxyl group attached to alkyl chain, methylated, branched at various carbons makes it much more stable compared to other linear chain fatty acids, including oxidation potential. It can be used as a lubricant, that can improve flow of a powder mixture. It has excellent spreadability without oiliness, that can be easily used in a cosmetic which not only moisturizes skin but also does not leave any oily feel. However, in cosmetic formulation it is used as a binder to form cake-like compact powder or eye shadow. It is also used in cleansing and emulsifying agent, because of presence of both ionic and nonionic groups. It is used in varieties of cosmetic and personal care products.