A diester of propylene glycol and heptanoic acid, used as an emollient and solvent.
What it is
Propylene glycol diheptanoate is, according to CosIng, the diester of propylene glycol and heptanoic acid. CosIng lists it as an anti-caking, emollient, film-forming, skin-conditioning, solvent and viscosity-controlling ingredient.
Where it is used
Appears on the ingredient lists of a small number of products.
Limits of interpretation
The INCI list shows which ingredients are present, not how much of each. Above 1%, ingredients are listed in descending order of weight; below 1% the order is free.
Functions
- Anticaking
- Preventing agglomeration of particulate solids into lumps or hard masses (cohesive cake), thus allowing free flow of particles.
- Skin conditioning – emollient
- Acting as lubricants on the skin surface providing the skin with a soft and smooth appearance.
- Film forming
- Producing (upon application) a continuous film on the skin, hair or nails.
- Skin conditioning
- Maintaining the skin in good condition.
- Solvent
- Dissolving other components of cosmetics. Solvents are usually liquids (aqueous and nonaqueous).
- Viscosity controlling
- Increasing or decreasing the viscosity (thickness) of cosmetics.
EU regulation
This ingredient is not listed in the annexes of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 in the CosIng data.

