Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Myristyl Myristate and Isopropyl Myristate

Acute oral and dermal toxicity tests indicated that Myristyl Myristate is nontoxic to rats. This cosmetic ingredient produced minimal to mild skin irritation, minimal eye irritation in rabbits, and no sensitization in guinea pigs. Studies with rabbits indicated that undiluted Isopropyl Myristate was a mild irritant after 24 h and moderate to severe when applied for three consecutive days. Isopropyl Myristate was minimally irritating to the rabbits' eye, and was not a skin sensitizer in studies with guinea pigs. In limited studies, Isopropyl Myristate was not carcinogenic on the skin of mice, but a mixture of Isopropyl Myristate and isopropyl alcohol significantly accelerated the carcinogenic activity of benzo(a)pyrene on the skin. Human studies with Isopropyl Myristate indicated that it was not a human skin irritant or sensitizer when applied in a product formulation containing 15-58% of the ingredient. A product containing 43% Isopropyl Myristate produced no phototoxicity and no photo-contact allergenicity in human studies. From the available information, it is concluded that Myristyl Myristate and Isopropyl Myristate are safe as cosmetic ingredients in the present practices of use.