An ester of polyglycerol and stearic acid, used as an emulsifier.
What it is
Polyglyceryl-4 stearate is the monoester of stearic acid with polyglycerol containing an average of four glycerol units. CosIng lists it as an emulsifying surfactant.
Where it is used
Found in creams, lotions 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 degree of polymerisation of the polyglycerol is an average, so the raw material is a mixture rather than 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.
EU regulation
This ingredient is not listed in the annexes of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 in the CosIng data.