Highly polar specialty emollient and solubilizing carrier for ceramides, functional lipids, difficult oil-soluble ingredients, UV-filter systems and pigment dispersions.
INCI Name: Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CAS Number: 230309-38-3
Appearance: Clear to pale yellow liquid
Solubility: Oil soluble; compatible with a broad range of cosmetic emollients and oil-phase ingredients
Function: Highly polar emollient, solubilizing carrier, pigment wetting and dispersing aid, oil-phase formulation aid and sensory modifier
Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate is an naturally derived amino-acid based, highly polar liquid emollient valued for its combination of strong oil-phase solvency and exceptionally lightweight sensory performance. Its polarity makes it especially useful for materials that can be difficult to incorporate into conventional cosmetic oils and esters.
IPLS is particularly valuable in advanced formulations containing ceramides, cholesterol, functional lipids, difficult oil-soluble ingredients, organic UV-filter systems, pigments and mineral particles. At the same time, its low viscosity and excellent spreadability contribute a smooth, silky and non-greasy finish.
Supplied as a cosmetic raw material for professional formulation use.
The defining characteristic of IPLS is its high polarity. This gives it stronger solvency for certain poorly soluble lipophilic materials than many conventional cosmetic oils and esters, while maintaining the elegant sensory characteristics of a lightweight emollient.
This combination makes IPLS especially useful in ceramide concentrates, barrier-lipid systems, sun care, pigment dispersions and technically demanding oil-phase formulations.
Ceramides can be challenging to formulate because of their crystalline structure and limited solubility in many conventional cosmetic oils. IPLS provides a highly polar oil-phase environment that can help improve their incorporation into properly designed carrier systems.
Technical testing on Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate has demonstrated strong solubilizing performance withceramide mixtures compared with conventional carriers such as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isopropyl Myristate and liquid paraffin.
This makes IPLS particularly useful for:
The solvent performance of IPLS extends beyond ceramides. Technical comparative testing has also demonstrated strong solubilizing ability with cholesterol and gamma-oryzanol, making IPLS particularly interesting for complex lipid systems where several functional materials must coexist within the same oil phase.
This can be valuable in barrier-focused formulations, lipid concentrates and other advanced skincare systems where ordinary cosmetic oils provide insufficient solvency.
IPLS is particularly useful in sun-care formulations because many organic UV filters can be difficult to fully dissolve and maintain in solution. Its high polarity can provide strong oil-phase solvent performance while maintaining a lightweight, elegant sensory profile.
It can be evaluated as part of the solvent system for crystalline or poorly soluble oil-soluble UV filters, helping support efficient incorporation and reduce the risk of crystallization within properly designed formulations.
In mineral and hybrid sun-care systems, IPLS can also support the wetting and dispersion of titanium dioxide, pigments and other oil-dispersible particles.
UV-filter selection and permitted use levels depend on the regulations of the intended market.
IPLS has strong wetting properties and affinity for pigments, making it useful as a dispersing aid in color cosmetics and mineral systems. Efficient wetting can help improve pigment distribution, application uniformity and the overall quality of the finished dispersion.
It is particularly useful in:
Despite its strong solvency, IPLS remains a low-viscosity emollient with excellent spreading characteristics. It provides a light, smooth, non-greasy and non-sticky finish, allowing formulators to improve oil-phase performance without necessarily creating a heavier finished product.
It can help improve glide and application while refining the feel of richer oils, functional lipid systems, pigment dispersions and concentrated sun-care oil phases.
Complete dissolution while hot does not necessarily guarantee stability after cooling. When working with ceramides, cholesterol, functional lipids or other crystalline materials, evaluate the system after cooling and throughout stability testing to confirm that crystallization or precipitation does not occur.
