C11-12 Isoparaffin

C11-12 Isoparaffin molecular structure
molecular structure · PubChem
AKA: Hydrocarbon, Mineral oil fraction
Synthetic
Solvent
Skin Conditioner
Clean
Alkanes, C11-12-iso
CAS #
246538-76-1
Form
Liquid
Functions
Skin Conditioning
A catch-all term for ingredients that improve how skin looks and feels — softer, smoother, more supple. The workhorse behind most moisturizers.
Solvent
Dissolves other ingredients so they distribute evenly in the formula. Often the invisible "base" everything else is mixed into.
Locks in moisture
Traditional Use
Synthetic hydrocarbon developed in the mid-20th century as a replacement for mineral oil in cosmetics. Created to provide lightweight moisture protection without the heavy residue of earlier oil-based formulations.
EWG
1
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Yes
CIR Safety Findings
Not an Irritant
ewg-1
medical-approval
pregnancy-nursing-safe
all-shades-safe
Regulatory Status
USA✔ permitted
EU⚠ restricted
JAPAN⚠ restricted
CANADA⚠ restricted
Skin Types
●all-skin-types, gentle
Best For
General
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
The paper trail
🔬Peer-reviewednone on file
⚖️Regulatory1 listing →
🛡️Safety-assessed2 reviews →
Counts, not a verdict. A listing isn't a study. The trail, you decide.
Verified Jun 2026
Data: CosIng · EWG · CIR