A polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid, used as a cleansing agent.
What it is
PEG-150 stearate is the ester of stearic acid (C18) and polyethylene glycol, with an average of 150 ethylene oxide units. CosIng lists it as a cleansing surfactant.
Where it is used
Appears on the ingredient lists of a small number of products, such as cleansers and creams.
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 150 refers to the average degree of ethoxylation, so the raw material is a mixture of molecules.
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).
EU regulation
This ingredient is not listed in the annexes of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 in the CosIng data.