Common Name(s): Laurocapram,laurocapram (azone),sc penetration enhancer,lipid bilayer fluidiser

CAS Number: N/a

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Enhances sc permeation of co-formulated actives 10-1000× by intercalating into sc lamellar lipid bilayers — disrupting the ordered orthorhombic gel phase to a more fluid liquid-crystalline phase that allows active ingredient diffusion through the intercellular lipid pathway.

Why It's Used: Laurocapram is the gold standard penetration enhancer — the azacycloheptanone ring provides a unique geometric complementarity with sc lipids providing maximum permeation enhancement at minimum irritation from its relatively gentle bilayer fluidisation mechanism.

How It Works: Laurocapram's c12 alkyl chain partitions into sc lipid bilayers with the azacycloheptanone ring inserting between fatty acid chains (cpe > 0.5% laurocapram): the bulky ring disrupts orthorhombic → hexagonal → liquid crystalline phase transition → sc lipid fluidity increase → activated diffusion coefficient for actives. enhancement factor depends on active polarity: lipophilic actives 10-50×; hydrophilic actives 100-1000×.

Typically Found In: Enhanced delivery,transdermal,active penetration

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Active ingredient – cosmetic active

Secondary Functions: Skin conditioning

Application Areas:

Typical Concentration Range: 0.1%–2%

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Conditional - supplier confirmation required

Halal Status: Unverified - supplier confirmation required

Source Notes: Commercially produced for cosmetic use. verify vegan/halal status with supplier. [audit 2026-07-29 rev2: the record's own source_notes does not assert a non-animal origin, or instructs the reader to verify with the supplier; "yes" asserts knowledge the record does not hold. determination requires shariah-panel sign-off.]

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low

Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 – non-comedogenic

Sensitivity Concerns: Well-tolerated by most skin types.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Good safety profile at recommended concentrations. ewg score: 1–2.

Works Well With: Standard skincare actives

Avoid Combining With: No known significant incompatibilities

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Laurocapram irritation threshold: effective concentrations (0.1-1%) are well below the irritation threshold (>5%) — the therapeutic window for penetration enhancement without sensitisation is established from decades of transdermal drug delivery research.

Last Verified: 2026-03-22

Primary Sources: Cosing database,laurocapram azone penetration enhancer reference review