A polyglycerol ester of caprylic and capric acids, used as a hydrotrope and cleansing surfactant.
What it is
Polyglyceryl-4 caprylate/caprate is, according to CosIng, the monoester of polyglycerin-4 (a glycerol oligomer) and a mixture of caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acids; it is a non-ionic, PEG-free surfactant. CosIng lists it as a hydrotrope and cleansing 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 INCI name does not reveal whether the fatty raw materials are of plant or animal origin.
Functions
- Surfactant – hydrotrope
- Enhancing the water solubility of another surfactant.
- 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.