Isopropyl Myristate IPM
Isopropyl Myristate is not used to create a fragrance note in the usual sense. Its value is functional: it helps dilute concentrated raw materials, improves the feel and spread of oil-based fragrance systems, and can make strong materials easier to handle. Compared with DPG, IPM feels more cosmetic, lighter on skin, and more emollient, which makes it especially relevant for oil perfumes and personal-care style applications. It should still be tested carefully, because a carrier can affect evaporation, diffusion, viscosity, clarity, and final product feel.
- Main impression: Neutral cosmetic solvent
- Supporting facets: Faint fatty, slightly creamy, low odour
- Drydown character: Smooth, soft, oily, non-perfumey
- Used for: Dilution, carrier function, skin feel, spreadability, oil-based perfume formats
Please note
Isopropyl Myristate is a raw fragrance and cosmetic solvent, not a finished perfume or fragrance oil. It is intended for formulation work and must not be applied directly as a finished cosmetic product unless used within a properly assessed final formula.
Solvents and carriers may behave differently depending on dosage, fragrance composition, wax, diffuser base, cosmetic base, packaging, temperature, and the intended application. Always test in your final product before production.
Full safety, IFRA, cosmetic, and technical information is provided in the SDS, IFRA Certificate, Cosmetics Declaration, and Technical Data Sheet available in the “Related Documents” tab. Compliance of the final product remains the responsibility of the manufacturer.
Packaging note: 10g sizes are supplied in PET bottles for affordable small-quantity access. Production sizes from 50g upwards are supplied in premium aluminium bottles for improved long-term protection. Read more
Olfactive Profile
- Primary character: Almost neutral, low-odour cosmetic carrier.
- Secondary nuances: Faint fatty, creamy, soft, and slightly oily.
- Texture: Smooth, fluid, emollient, and skin-spreading rather than diffusive or aromatic.
- Diffusion: Does not add diffusion; it may soften or slow the release of some fragrance materials.
- Tenacity: Remains as a carrier phase rather than evaporating like alcohol.
- Comparison anchor: More cosmetic and skin-emollient than DPG, less volatile than ethanol, and more functional than olfactive.
Isopropyl Myristate has only a very mild scent of its own; almost unoticable. It does not smell like a fragrance ingredient in the usual way and should not be expected to add a clear floral, fruity, woody, or amber note. Its role is to carry, dilute, soften, and improve the handling of other materials, especially in oil-based and cosmetic-style formulations.
Formulation & Creative Uses
What It Adds to Your Formula
- Carrier function: Helps dilute fragrance materials in non-alcoholic systems.
- Skin feel: Adds a smooth, emollient, spreadable cosmetic feel.
- Handling ease: Makes concentrated raw materials easier to dose and blend.
- Soft release: Can make volatile or sharp materials feel smoother in oil-based formats.
- Formula fluidity: Helps create liquid oil-style blends and roll-on trials.
- Low odour: Supports formulas without adding a strong scent character of its own.
What It Does Not Do
- It does not add a fragrance note: It is mainly a solvent and carrier.
- It does not boost projection: It may actually soften or slow diffusion depending on the formula.
- It does not replace every solvent: Compatibility depends on the material and final application.
- It is not a complete perfume base by itself: Final cosmetic suitability still requires proper formulation and assessment.
- It is not ideal for every diffuser system: Cold-air, nebulising, ultrasonic, and reed systems require compatibility testing.
Creative Uses
Isopropyl Myristate is useful for oil perfumes, roll-on style fragrance trials, cosmetic fragrance bases, and controlled dilutions of strong aroma materials. It can help prepare more manageable versions of potent materials, soften harsh top notes in oil systems, and improve spreadability in personal-care style formats. It is also useful when comparing how fragrance concentrates behave in a non-alcoholic carrier.
Creative Inspiration
Use Isopropyl Myristate IPM to prepare oil-based trials of musks, ambers, sandalwood materials, and soft florals. Try it with Ambroxan or Iso E Super when building modern skin-scent style bases. Use it with Ethylene Brassylate, Galaxolide 50 DPG, or Cashmeran for smooth cosmetic musk trials. For gourmand or powdery materials like Vanillin, Coumarin, or Ethyl Maltol, pre-dilution may help dosing control, but solubility should always be tested first.
Common Applications
- Perfume oils: Useful as a non-alcoholic carrier for oil-based fragrance formats.
- Roll-on style products: Supports smooth spreading and cosmetic skin feel, subject to final safety assessment.
- Perfumery trials: Useful for preparing controlled dilutions of strong or difficult-to-dose materials.
- Cosmetic fragrance bases: Relevant where an emollient carrier is needed and permitted by the final assessment.
- Candles & wax melts: Can appear as a solvent in fragrance systems, but wax compatibility and burn behaviour must be tested.
- Reed diffusers: May help dissolve some materials, but it is not a complete reed diffuser base by itself.
- Room sprays: Use only where compatible with the spray solvent system; excessive levels may affect clarity or spray feel.
Usage, Dose & Performance
- Suggested working use: As needed for dilution, carrier function, or oil-based trials.
- Low use: Helps with small corrections, dilution of strong materials, and improved handling.
- Moderate use: Can support oil perfume trials and cosmetic-style fragrance bases.
- High use: May soften diffusion, increase oiliness, alter viscosity, or change the final feel.
- Diffusion effect: Usually neutral to softening; it does not boost projection.
- Solvent behavior: Useful with many fragrance materials, but not universal.
- Compatibility: Must be checked in wax, reed bases, spray systems, cosmetic bases, packaging, and device-specific diffuser systems.
- Overuse risk: Too much IPM can make a blend feel oily, muted, slow, or less expressive.
Practical Pairing & Dilution Uses
Useful with aroma molecules
- Ambroxan: Helps create smooth ambergris-style oil trials.
- Iso E Super: Supports transparent woody skin-scent experiments.
- Ethylene Brassylate: Builds soft cosmetic musk bases.
- Cashmeran: Helps test musky-powdery warmth in oil-style blends.
- Sandalore: Supports creamy sandalwood oil-based structures.
- Methyl Ionone Gamma: Useful for powdery floral-wood trials.
Useful with essential oils
- Amyris Essential Oil: Supports soft woody oil-based blends.
- Patchouli Essential Oil: Helps smooth darker earthy bases.
- Ylang Ylang Essential Oil: Works in creamy floral cosmetic-style blends.
- Bergamot Essential Oil: Can soften citrus top notes in oil-based trials.
- Frankincense Essential Oil: Supports resinous skin-scent style bases.
- Geranium Essential Oil: Helps create smooth rosy cosmetic blends.
Useful with base accords
- White Musk Accord: Supports soft clean perfume-oil trials.
- Sandal Accord: Builds creamy woody oil-style bases.
- Amber Accord: Useful for warm non-alcoholic amber experiments.
- Jasmine Flower Accord: Helps create smooth floral cosmetic blends.
- Rice Accord: Supports soft milky comfort concepts.
- Leather Suede Accord: Can soften and spread suede-style base structures.
Technical Data & IFRA Limits
- Commercial name: Isopropyl Myristate
- Synonyms: IPM, 1-Methylethyl Tetradecanoate
- INCI name: Isopropyl Myristate
- IUPAC name: Isopropyl myristate
- CAS number: 110-27-0
- EC number: 203-751-4
- FEMA number: 3556
- FLAVIS number: 09.105
- Chemical class: Fatty acid ester
- Material form: Liquid
- Flash point: 150°C
- Solubility: Soluble in alcohol; insoluble in water
- Allergen declaration: No listed EU fragrance allergens declared.
IFRA 51st Amendment Limits
- Fine fragrance: < 100%
- Body creams, oils and lotions: < 100%
- Soap and rinse-off products: < 100%
- Reed diffusers: < 100%
- Room sprays: < 100%
- Candles: < 100%
No IFRA restriction is listed for this material under the supplied 51st Amendment certificate. IFRA percentages are maximum permitted levels, not recommended usage levels. The final product manufacturer is responsible for checking the correct IFRA category, calculating the final concentration, and confirming suitability in the intended application.
Stability & Handling
Isopropyl Myristate should be stored tightly sealed in its original container, in a dry place away from prolonged exposure to light, humidity, and air. It is supplied as a colourless liquid and does not normally require pre-warming or pre-dilution before use. The SDS notes that it should be kept away from acids, strong bases, and oxidising agents, and that it is stable under normal storage conditions. Its discoloration potential is considered very low because the material is colourless and not used for its own olfactive colour or character. Testing is still recommended in clear products, pale waxes, sprays, cosmetic bases, and device-specific applications because IPM can affect viscosity, evaporation, clarity, skin feel, and performance.
Safety & Testing
Isopropyl Myristate is a raw fragrance and cosmetic solvent for formulation use. It is not a finished perfume, fragrance oil, cosmetic product, or diffuser base by itself.
Always review the SDS, IFRA Certificate, Cosmetics Declaration, and Technical Data Sheet before use. Test the material in the intended base before production, as performance may vary depending on dosage, fragrance composition, wax type, diffuser base, spray solvent, cosmetic base, processing temperature, solubility, packaging, and device compatibility.
Final product safety, labelling, IFRA compliance, CLP classification, cosmetic assessment, allergen declaration, transport classification, and market compliance remain the responsibility of the final product manufacturer.
Why Choose Perfumedom
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⭐ Consistent Performance
Our fragrance oils are sourced from established European manufacturers and designed for professional use, offering consistency and performance in every batch.
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Every fragrance in our assortment is supported by up-to-date SDS, IFRA, and CLP guidance, and manufactured strictly only with REACH regulated substances.
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