Diethylhexyl Dimer Dilinoleate

What Is It?

Diisopropyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Dicetearyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Diisostearyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Diethylhexyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Dioctyldodecyl Dimer Dilinoleate and Ditridecyl Dimer Dilinoleate vary from clear and slightly hazy yellow liquids to buttery yellow solids. In cosmetics and personal care products, these six ingredients are used in the formulation of makeup products such as lipsticks, eye shadow, and foundations, as well as skin cleansing and skin care products.

Why Is It Used?

Diisopropyl Dimer Dilinoleate acts as a lubricant on the skin’s surface, which gives the skin a soft and smooth appearance. Dicetearyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Diisostearyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Diethylhexyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Dioctyldodecyl Dimer Dilinoleate and Ditridecyl Dimer Dilinoleate slow the loss of water from the skin by forming a barrier on the skin’s surface.

Scientific Facts

These ingredients are typically produced from the reaction of dilinoleic acid, an essential fatty acid derived from vegetable oils, with the corresponding alcohol.

For example, Diisopropyl Dimer Dilinoleate is produced via the reaction of dilinoleic acid with isopropyl alcohol.

Safety Information

The safety of these six ingredients has been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel.

The CIR Expert Panel evaluated the scientific data and concluded that Diisopropyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Dicetyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Diisostearyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Dioctyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Dioctyldodecyl Dimer Dilinoleate and Ditridecyl Dimer Dilinoleate were safe as used in cosmetics and personal care products.

CIR Safety Review:

Safety test data on dilinoleic acid were considered relevant because dilinoleic acid is a component of these diesters and a likely breakdown product. These ingredients did not produce skin or ocular irritation, nor were they comedogenic. Mutagenicity tests in bacteria, clastogenicity studies in human lymphocytes in culture, and L5178Y lymphoma cell forward mutation studies were all negative, indicating no dilinoleic acid genotoxicity.

No carcinogenicity studes were available; however, structural alerts that suggesting a mutagenic or carcinogenic risk were absent.

Significant reproductive/developmental toxicity or other systemic toxicity were not expected with these ingredients because they were poorly absorbed from the skin and were found to remain on the skin’s surface.

In clinical studies, cosmetic formulations containing these ingredients did not produce skin irritation or sensitization, although one report of sensitization to dilinoleic acid appeared in the case literature.

The CIR Expert Panel did note that the concentration of use of Diisopropyl Dimer Dilinoleate was reportedly as high as 53% in lipsticks, but that the highest concentration tested for irritation/sensitization was 27%. Given the size of these molecules, their relative insolubility in water, their lipophilic nature, and the absence of any significant case reports of allergic reactions, a use concentration of 53% is not likely to be associated with any adverse effects.

Diisopropyl, Dicetearyl, Diisostearyl, Diethylhexyl, Dioctyldodecyl and Ditridecyl Dimer Dilinoleate 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

Diisopropyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Dicetearyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Diisostearyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Diethylhexyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Dioctyldodecyl Dimer Dilinoleate and Ditridecyl Dimer Dilinoleate are diesters of their respective alcohols and dilinoleic acid.

In cosmetics and personal care products, Diisopropyl Dimer Dilinoleate functions as a skin conditioning agent – emollient, while the remaining ingredients function as skin conditioning agents – occlusive.

Resources

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

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