An ethoxylated fatty acid ester used as an emulsifier and cleansing agent.
What it is
C12-20 acid PEG-8 ester is the polyethylene glycol ester of a mixture of fatty acids with 12 to 20 carbon atoms, with an average of 8 ethylene oxide units. CosIng lists it as an emulsifying and cleansing surfactant.
Where it is used
Found in creams, lotions, cleansers and other emulsions.
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 8 is an average, and the fatty acids 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.