Baby Safety / Compounds / Diisopropyl adipate

Is Diisopropyl adipate safe for babies and kids?

Context-dependent for kids

(Babies-specific data is limited; this page draws from human pregnant context.) Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Diisopropyl adipate, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

What is diisopropyl adipate?

The IUPAC name is diisopropyl hexanedioate.

Also known as: diisopropyl hexanedioate, DIPA, adipic acid diisopropyl ester, diisopropyl ester of adipic acid.

IUPAC name
diisopropyl hexanedioate
CAS number
6938-94-9
Molecular formula
C12H22O4
Molecular weight
230.3 g/mol
SMILES
C1=CC=C(C=C1)C(=O)NC(CCCN=C(N)N)C(=O)NC2=CC3=CC=CC=C3C=C2
PubChem CID
9365

Risk for babies

Context-dependent

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Diisopropyl adipate, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

No specific reproductive toxicity data identified, but pregnancy-specific safety data is limited for most chemicals. Precautionary minimization of exposure is recommended.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Risk for pregnant and nursing people

Context-dependent

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Diisopropyl adipate, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

No specific reproductive toxicity data identified, but pregnancy-specific safety data is limited for most chemicals. Precautionary minimization of exposure is recommended.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Regulatory consensus

2 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Diisopropyl adipate. The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EU_Cosmetics_Regulation——Approved cosmetic ingredient; no concentration limit
FDA_OTC——Approved for cosmetic use; safe and effective

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where kids encounter diisopropyl adipate

  • sunscreen
  • moisturizer
  • body_lotion
  • color_cosmetics

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Diisopropyl adipate:

  • Plant-derived oils with established safety profiles (jojoba, squalane, shea butter)
    Trade-offs: Consumer preference for 'natural' label; many natural fragrance compounds are potent allergens (limonene, linalool, eugenol); 'natural' ≠ 'safe'; often more expensive than synthetic equivalents.
    Relative cost: 2-5× conventional
  • Ceramide-based formulations (biomimetic skin barrier repair)
    Trade-offs: Alternative emollient; skin feel, spreadability, and occlusion properties differ; comedogenicity should be assessed for facial use; stability in final formulation needs verification.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×
  • Glycerin-based humectant systems as partial replacement
    Trade-offs: Direct chemical substitution requires verification that the replacement does not introduce new hazards (regrettable substitution). Conduct full hazard assessment of proposed alternative before adoption.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

What products contain diisopropyl adipate?

Diisopropyl adipate appears in: sunscreen; moisturizer; body lotion.

See Diisopropyl adipate in the baby app

Look up products containing diisopropyl adipate, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (2)
  1. PubChem Compound CID 9365 — database
  2. ATSDR Toxicological Profile — CAS 6938-94-9 — reference

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →