An ethoxylated synthetic C12-13 alcohol, used as a cleansing and solubilising surfactant.
What it is
C12-13 alketh-23, formerly C12-13 pareth-23, is according to CosIng the polyethylene glycol ether of a mixture of synthetic C12-13 alcohols, with an average of 23 ethylene oxide units. CosIng lists it as a cleansing and solubilising surfactant.
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.
The number 23 is an average, so the raw material is a mixture of molecules of different sizes.
Functions
- Surfactant – cleansing
- Wetting body surfaces, emulsifying or solubilizing oils, and suspending soil (generally, such ingredients contribute to the foaming and lathering properties of cleansing products).
- Surfactant – solubilizing
- Helping another component (solute) to dissolve in a medium in which it is not normally soluble.
EU regulation
This ingredient is not listed in the annexes of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 in the CosIng data.