Isopropylthioglycolate is a specialty chemical primarily used in the cosmetics and personal care industry, particularly in hair treatment products such as perming lotions, straightening solutions, and depilatories. It functions as a reducing agent that breaks disulfide bonds in keratin, enabling permanent or semi-permanent reshaping of hair. Additionally, it serves as a key intermediate in the synthesis of organic compounds for pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals, and in polymer chemistry as a modifier or crosslinking agent to enhance material properties. It is also employed in chemical research for developing novel compounds and studying reaction mechanisms.