What is Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate?
Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate falls into the ester / emollient category — a synthetic emollient ester. A heavy double-stearate emollient ester named on pore-clogging lists in the moderate range.
You may see it on labels as Octyldidecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Octodidecyl Stearoyl Stearate, so it can hide under more than one name in an ingredient list.
Where Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate shows up
As a synthetic emollient ester, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate typically appears in lotions, sunscreens, primers, and colour cosmetics, where it adds a smooth, non-greasy slip. Separately from clogging, its irritancy is rated 0/5 — low, so it's unlikely to sting or sensitise on its own.
Is Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate bad for acne-prone skin?
Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate sits in the grey zone. Plenty of people tolerate it well; those who break out easily may prefer to keep it low on their ingredient lists.
Worth flagging: Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate's rating is disputed. Credible sources land on different numbers, which is why we show a range rather than a single score — and why your own experience is the best tiebreaker.
Note for fungal-acne (malassezia) sufferers: Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate is commonly avoided in fungal-acne routines, since it falls into the fatty-acid or ester families the yeast can feed on. The evidence there is looser than for comedogenicity — see our fungal-acne checker for context.
Non-comedogenic alternatives
If you're avoiding Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, these lower-risk ingredients serve a similar role and are gentler on pore-prone skin:
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride — rated 1/5 (Low risk).
- Squalane — rated 1/5 (Low risk).