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STEARETH-20

Last update on Feb 28, 2023
Polyethylene glycol ethers of stearic acid make up the Steareth ingredients (Steareth-2, Steareth-4, Steareth-6, Steareth-7, Steareth-10, Steareth-11, Steareth-13, Steareth-15, and Steareth-20). Steareth-20 primarily functions as a surfactant and emulsifier in cosmetic products and is generally available as a waxy, solid material. It can be used in the creation of personal hygiene products, deodorants, fragrances, skin, eye, and hair products.
CAS Number: 9005-00-9 / 2136-72-3 / 69980-69-4Chem/IUPAC Name: 2-octadecoxyethanolEINECS/ELINCS No: 500-017-8 / 218-374-0COSING REF No: 78992

Products with STEARETH-20

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ERCAWAX S 20 V/FD 0 MB

by ErcaWilmar

INCI: STEARETH-20
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What is STEARETH-20 used for?

Steareth-20 mainly works as a surfactant, emulsifier, and solubilizer in cosmetics and personal care products. The Steareth ingredients reduce the interactions between the molecules of other liquids when they are added to cosmetics and personal care products, causing an emulsion to form. Some personal care products' ingredients would separate out if an ingredient like Steareth was not added.
  • Skin care: Its benefits are not limited to only cleansing. As an emulsifier, it facilitates the mixing of oil and water. It is created by ethoxylating the fatty alcohol stearyl alcohol, which increases the molecule's water solubility. The end result is an emulsifier-cum-solubilizer, that primarily prefers water and can help dissolve trace amounts of oil-loving ingredients into water-based products. Or, to make stable emulsions, it can be mixed with emulsifiers that prefer oil, like its sister Steareth-2

Origin

Alkaline catalysis is by far the most common method of manufacture of alkyl PEG ethers, although acid catalysis is known. The initiation of the alkaline catalyzed synthesis of alkyl PEG ethers consists of the addition of ethylene oxide to a dry solution of the appropriate alcohol (e.g., stearyl alcohol is used to synthesize steareths) with an alkali earth metal (e.g., potassium hydroxide) or alkoxide (e.g., sodium methoxide). The reaction continues to propagate (i.e., continues to add additional units of ethylene glycol to the alcohol) until the available ethylene oxide is consumed and/or the reaction is terminated by the addition of an acid (e.g., hydrochloric acid). Dioxane (1,4-diethylene dioxide; 1,4-dioxane) is commonly formed as a byproduct. Finally, a finishing step is commonly employed via the addition of one or more oxidizing agents (e.g., hydrogen peroxide) or antioxidants/stabilizers (e.g., butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) or α-tocopherol (vitamin E).

What does STEARETH-20 do in a formulation?

CLEANSING|
EMULSIFYING|
SURFACTANT

Safety Profile

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel has concluded steareth-20 to be safe for use in cosmetics up to 25%.

STEARETH-20 alternatives

STEARETH-20 technical profile

Property Values
Boiling Point 1060°C
Melting Point 48-53°C
pH 9.0-11.0