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SORBITAN OLEATE

Last update on Mar 30, 2023
Sorbitan Oleate is a common emollient, emulsion stabilizer, and conditioning agent for skin care. It is a primarily oil-loving, vegetable-based ingredient that can act as a wetting and dispersing agent as well as aid in the mixing of water and oil. For lotions and other emulsions, it is regarded as a good co-emulsifier. Sorbitan Oleate is a viscous liquid, yellow to brown in color.
CAS Number: 1338-43-8Chem/IUPAC Name: [2-[(2R,3S,4R)-3,4-dihydroxyoxolan-2-yl]-2-hydroxyethyl] (Z)-octadec-9-enoateEINECS/ELINCS No: 215-665-4COSING REF No: 38181

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What is SORBITAN OLEATE used for?

Sorbitan Oleate exhibits potent moisturising properties. It helps to stop the epidermis from drying out and losing water, which is what other strong detergents do. It disperses the pigments and mineral filters in sunscreen preparations in cosmetics primarily used for make-up, or in color cosmetics (allows them to evenly disperse in the entire volume of the cosmetic formulation).
  • Skin care: In W/O emulsions, the base ingredient, Sorbitan Oleate acts as a lipophilic emulsifier (water molecules suspended in the oily phase).

Origin

Sorbitan Oleate is obtained during the condensation reaction of the unsaturated fatty acid, oleic acid, with sorbitol. This creates a partly water (the sorbitan part) and partly oil soluble (oleic part) molecule.

What does SORBITAN OLEATE do in a formulation?

EMOLLIENT|
EMULSION STABILISING|
SKIN CONDITIONING

Safety Profile

Sorbitan Oleate is listed as a potential carcinogen in the Cosmetics Database despite being regarded as a low hazard ingredient because of studies that have shown cell mutation. Due to animal studies that showed liver effects at high levels, and skin irritation at moderate doses, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has less concern regarding organ system toxicity and irritation.

SORBITAN OLEATE alternatives

SORBITAN OLEATE technical profile

Property Values
Boiling Point 579.3±50.0°C at 760 mmHg
Solubility Soluble in most mineral and vegetable oils
Viscosity ~1000 centipoises