An ethoxylated C12-15 fatty alcohol used as an emulsifier and cleansing agent.
What it is
C12-15 pareth-12 is the polyethylene glycol ether of a mixture of fatty alcohols with 12 to 15 carbon atoms, with an average of 12 ethylene oxide units. CosIng lists it as an emulsifying and cleansing surfactant.
Where it is used
Found in creams, lotions, cleansers, hair care products and other 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 12 is an average, and the alcohols are a mixture, so the raw material is not a single compound.
Functions
- Surfactant – emulsifying
- Helping suspensions or dispersions of liquids in a second liquid by reducing the surface tension of the substances to be emulsified.
- 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).
EU regulation
This ingredient is not listed in the annexes of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 in the CosIng data.