Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate
What Is It?
Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate is an amber yellow liquid. In cosmetics and personal care products, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate is used in the formulation of eye makeup, blushers, foundations and other makeup products. It is also used in skin care and cleansing products.
Why Is It Used?
Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate slows water loss from the skin by forming a barrier on the skin’s surface. It is also used to increase the thickness of the lipidFat or fat-like substance found in the cells of plants and animals that includes fats, waxes, oils, and related compounds. (oil) portion of cosmetics and personal care products.
Scientific Facts
Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate is made from a naturally occurring fatty acidA natural organic compound that consists of a carboxyl group (oxygen, carbon and hydrogen) attached to a chain of carbon atoms with their associated hydrogen atoms. The chain of carbon atoms may be connected with single bonds, making a ‘saturated’ fat; or it may contain some double bonds, making an ‘unsaturated’ fat. The number of carbon and hydrogen atoms in the chain is what determines the qualities of that particular fatty acid. Animal and vegetable fats are made up of various combinations of fatty acids (in sets of three) connected to a glycerol molecule, making them triglycerides., stearic acid. Stearic acid is found in animal and vegetable fat.
Safety Information
The safety of Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate has been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient ReviewThe Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) was established in 1976 as an independent safety review program for cosmetic ingredients. The CIR Expert Panel consists of independent experts in dermatology, toxicology, pharmacolgy and veterinary medicine. The CIR includes participation by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and the Consumer Federation of America. (CIR) Expert Panel. The CIR Expert Panel evaluated available scientific data and concluded that Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate was safe as used in cosmetics and personal care products.
CIR Safety Review: In addition to a review of the information on Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, data on octyl dodecanol, stearic acid, and octyl stearate were included in the report as these ingredients have been reviewed previously by the CIR Expert Panel and found safe at concentrations used in cosmetics and personal care products.
The available safety data on these ingredients were considered to be supportive of the safety data on Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate. Skin permeation and penetration data on Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate indicated that only a small portion of the applied dose permeates the skin. Based on these data, the CIR Expert Panel did not expect a significant amount of Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate to be available to result in systemic exposure.
There was no evidence of systemic toxicity associated with any of the structurally related chemicals reviewed in previous safety assessments. None of the available data suggested a concern about adverse skin reactions to Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, or to any of the related chemicals. Only a mild, transient ocular irritation was associated with Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate or any of the related chemicals.
When made from plants, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate may be used in cosmetics and personal care products marketed in Europe according to the general provisions of the Cosmetics Regulation of the European UnionUnder the general provisions of the cosmetics regulation of the EU, ingredients appearing on the following function-specific annexes must comply with the listed restrictions and/or specifications: colorants (Annex IV), preservatives (Annex V), UV filters (Annex VI) and other ingredients with specific concentration limits and/or other restrictions (Annex III). Ingredients specifically prohibited from use in cosmetic products are listed in Annex II. Other ingredients listed in the EU cosmetic ingredient database (CosIng) may be used without restrictions.. Ingredients of animal origin must comply with the European Union animal by-products regulations.
Link to the EU Cosmetic Regulation:
http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/product_labelling_and_p…
More Scientific Information
Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate is an esterAn organic compound formed by the reaction of an acid with an alcohol. used as a skin conditioning agent and viscosity increasing agent in cosmetics and personal care products. Chemically, esters are covalent compounds formed between acids and alcohols. Esters can be formed from almost all acids (inorganic and carboxylic) and any alcoholAlcohols are a large class of important cosmetic ingredients but only ethanol needs to be denatured to prevent it from being redirected from cosmetic applications to alcoholic beverages.. They are subject to hydrolysisDecomposition of a chemical compound into smaller constituents by reaction with water. back to the original alcohols and acids at extreme pHs and at elevated temperatures.
Resources
Search the Code of Federal Regulations http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm
EU Cosmetics Inventory http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cosmetics/cosing/