Diisostearyl Malate
Emollient ester (common in lip products) · INCI: Diisostearyl Malate
Reviewed by Elysiana Aguilar, master esthetician
How we read it
Not a pore-clogger. Considered safe for acne-prone skin.
Is Diisostearyl Malate comedogenic?
No. Diisostearyl Malate isn't considered pore-clogging, and we read it as safe to use on acne-prone skin. That doesn't make it right for everyone, but congestion isn't the thing to watch for with it.
Why we read it this way
Diisostearyl malate is a heavy, cushioning ester used almost entirely in lip products and cream blushes, where slip and shine matter more than lightness. Branched esters of this shape are not on the pore-clogging references we curate against.
The nuance
It is rich by design, and lip products sit right where a lot of people break out. If congestion follows a lipstick, the whole formula is worth reading, not this ingredient alone.
Related ingredients
One ingredient rarely tells the whole story. The acne ingredient checker reads everything in a product at once, and there is more on what comedogenic means. Also in the guides: The types of acne lesions.