Very Disliked

Polysorbate 60

Explained

Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.

Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.

In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.

Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.

See all 3,359 products with Polysorbate 60

Users who like it
3%
Users who avoid it
97%

What it does

Emulsifying The act of emulsion: a suspension of small globules of one liquid in a second liquid with which the first will not mix

Prevalence

Uncommon Percentage of products that contain it
4.2%
Top categories
Moisturizers
Treatments
Masks
Position Predominant list placement
Bottom 50%

References

CosIng Data

CosIng ID 79321
INCI Name POLYSORBATE 60
All Functions Emulsifying, Surfactant