Isostearyl Neopentanoate
Emollient ester · INCI: Isostearyl Neopentanoate
Reviewed by Elysiana Aguilar, master esthetician
How we read it
Clogs pores for some people. Fine for many, worth watching if you're mid-breakout.
Is Isostearyl Neopentanoate comedogenic?
Sometimes. Isostearyl Neopentanoate is potentially pore-clogging, so we read it as one to use with caution. Plenty of people use it without trouble; if you're actively treating acne, it's worth watching.
Why we read it this way
Isostearyl neopentanoate is a light ester that pairs a branched fatty alcohol with a short, compact acid, giving makeup and sunscreens a dry, silky glide. We rate it below the heavier esters in its family, as one to use with caution.
The nuance
It shares half its name with isostearyl isostearate, which we read as highly comedogenic. The two are not the same ingredient, and this one sits lower. Near the top of a foundation label it counts for more than near the end.
Where it shows up
Liquid and cream foundations, eye shadows, blushes and lipsticks carry it most often. Sunscreens and lightweight face lotions use it for a finish that feels dry, not oily.
Related ingredients
One ingredient rarely tells the whole story. The acne ingredient checker reads everything in a product at once, the pore-clogging ingredients list has the rest of what we flag, and there is more on what comedogenic means. Also in the guides: The types of acne lesions.