An ethoxylated glyceryl stearate, used as an emulsifier.
What it is
PEG-20 glyceryl stearate is the polyethylene glycol ether of glyceryl stearate, the ester of glycerin and stearic acid, with an average of 20 ethylene oxide units according to its INCI name. CosIng lists it as an emulsifying 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 20 is an average, so the raw material is a mixture of molecules of different sizes.
Functions
- Surfactant – emulsifying
- Helping suspensions or dispersions of liquids in a second liquid by reducing the surface tension of the substances to be emulsified.
EU regulation
This ingredient is not listed in the annexes of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 in the CosIng data.