OCTYLDODECANOL - Skin Care Ingredients Curated By Mia Seilern

By KimReviewed Nataly

⚠️ Data is provided for informational purposes only. It may contain inaccuracies and should be independently verified. This is not medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional before making health decisions.

Description: OCTYLDODECANOL — emollient, texture enhancer.

All Functions: emollient, texture enhancer

Quick Facts:

Category: emollient
Comedogenic Rating: 2/5

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

Octyldodecanol is a penetration enhancer used in transdermal (through-skin) patch formulations
It increases how effectively active ingredients can pass through skin when incorporated into patches
In patch testing, it caused only mild skin irritation in animal models
Irritation from patches containing octyldodecanol was greater than control patches but still considered minor

Safety: Generally Low ConcernResearch confidence: GoodCommon fungal-acne trigger

Safety tier is a starting heuristic from regulatory status and comedogenic rating, not a dermatological verdict — see our Terms for the full disclaimer. Research confidence reflects how many real cited studies back this ingredient, not the strength of their findings.

🧪 OCTYLDODECANOL

OCTYLDODECANOL

CAS Number: 5333-42-6

Also Known As: —

Category: emollient

EC Number: 226-242-9

Korean Name: 옥틸도데칸올

2-Octyldodecan-1-ol

OCTYLDODECANOL is an emollient ingredient used in skincare formulations.

emollienttexture enhancer

🌍 Regulatory Status

EU: No restriction on fileUS: No restriction on file

📊 Comedogenicity

🟥🟥⬜⬜⬜

2/5

📚 Research & Evidence

PUBMED CITATIONS

Data sources: EU CosIng PubMed

🔬 The Science

Octyldodecanol (OD) is an ingredient that helps active pharmaceutical ingredients penetrate the skin barrier more effectively—a property called “penetration enhancement.” In a 2006 study published in *Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin*, researchers tested octyldodecanol in transdermal patches designed to deliver the drug formoterol fumarate. #1: When octyldodecanol was added to ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer patches, it significantly increased the amount of active ingredient that could pass through skin, compared to patches made without it (*Biol Pharm Bull*, 2006). This makes it useful in patch formulations where getting medication through the skin barrier is important. #2: The same study evaluated skin irritation potential across different patch formulations containing various amounts of octyldodecanol.

Patches containing octyldodecanol caused mild irritation in animal models tested (*Biol Pharm Bull*, 2006). However, it’s important to note that irritation levels were “significantly greater than the control” patch, meaning octyldodecanol itself did contribute to irritation compared to formulations without it—though the absolute irritation scores remained in the mild range. The sources available are limited to one animal study of octyldodecanol in pharmaceutical patches and do not include data on its use in typical consumer skincare products or on human skin irritation in real-world conditions.

💧 Skin Type Compatibility

97%

Sensitive

90%

Oily

97%

Dry

93%

Combination

90%

Acne-prone

96%

Normal

Derived from this ingredient’s irritancy potential and comedogenicity rating against the needs of each skin type — e.g. oily and acne-prone skin are marked down for pore-clogging ingredients, sensitive skin for irritants. A starting heuristic, not a dermatological verdict.