Dibutyl Adipate

What Is It?

Dibutyl Adipate is the diester of butyl alcohol and adipic acid. It is a clear colorless oily liquid. In cosmetics and personal care products, Dibutyl Adipate is used in nail polish and skin care products.

Why Is It Used?

Dibutyl Adipate softens synthetic polymers by reducing brittleness and cracking. It also acts as lubricant on the skin surface, which gives the skin a soft and smooth appearance, and as a solvent that is used to dissolve other substances.

Scientific Facts

Dibutyl Adipate is used as a plasticizer for resins and it can be found in floor waxes.

Safety Information

The safety of Dibutyl Adipate has been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel. The CIR Expert Panel evaluated the scientific data and concluded that Dibutyl Adipate was safe for use as a cosmetic ingredient.

CIR Safety Review: Dibutyl Adipate was not toxic in acute oral or dermal toxicity tests. Dibutyl Adipate was observed to be a low level skin and eye irritant and a non-sensitizer. Dibutyl Adipate was not genotoxic in two test systems.

Clinical patch tests confirmed the absence of skin irritation. Clinical phototoxicity tests were negative. Dibutyl Adipate at 0.1% was not an ocular irritant in two male volunteers. In a clinical test of comedogenicity, Dibutyl Adipate produced no effect. The CIR Expert Panel recognized that use of Dibutyl Adipate in suntan cosmetic products will result in repeated, frequent exposure in a leave-on product. The available data demonstrate no skin sensitization or cumulative skin irritation, no comedogenicity, and no genotoxicity.

Combined with the data demonstrating very little acute toxicity, no skin or ocular irritation, and no reproductive or developmental toxicity, these data provided an adequate basis for reaching a conclusion that Dibutyl Adipate was safe as a cosmetic and personal care product ingredient. Dibutyl Adipate 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_p…

More Scientific Information

Dibutyl Adipate is the diester of butyl alcohol and adipic acid. Another technical name for Dibutyl Adipate is Hexanedioic Acid, Dibutyl Ester. It is practically insoluble in water.