Functional Category 200 ingredients

Emulsifiers in Cosmetics

Emulsifiers stabilise oil-in-water and water-in-oil formulations by reducing interfacial tension between immiscible phases. The class includes polysorbates (non-ionic), sorbitan esters, glyceryl stearates, cetearyl alcohol, polyglyceryl esters, and natural emulsifiers like lecithin. Ethoxylated emulsifiers face scrutiny under EU Annex II for 1,4-dioxane contamination thresholds, while PEG-based emulsifiers are restricted in certified organic (COSMOS, ECOCERT) formulations. This hub lists emulsifier ingredients with their safety profiles and regulatory status across EU, US, and ASEAN jurisdictions.

Functional Categories
Skin Conditioning Ingredients Humectants in Cosmetics Emollient Ingredients in Cosmetics Antioxidants in Cosmetics Surfactants in Cosmetics Emulsifiers in Cosmetics Fragrance Ingredients in Cosmetics Cosmetic Colorants Cosmetic Preservatives UV Filters & Sunscreen Ingredients Hair Conditioning Ingredients Rheology Modifiers & Thickeners Active Cosmetic Ingredients Plant Extracts & Botanical Ingredients
Regulatory Clusters
Cosmetic Ingredients Flagged as Endocrine Disruptors Cosmetic Ingredients Listed Under California Proposition 65 Cosmetic Ingredients with SCCS Safety Opinions Cosmetic Ingredients with CIR Expert Panel Conclusions Cosmetic Ingredients with GHS Hazard Classification Cosmetic Ingredients with NOAEL Toxicological Data Cosmetic Ingredients Banned or Restricted Globally Cosmetic Ingredients with Sensitization Data Cosmetic Ingredients with Dermal Absorption Data Cosmetic Ingredients Restricted Under EU Regulation 1223/2009
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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #
Ingredient Safety
Acetylated Palm Kernel Glycerides GOOD
Almond Oil Glycereth-8 Esters EXCELLENT
Almond Oil PEG-6 Esters GOOD
Almond Oil PEG-8 Esters EXCELLENT
Almond Oil/Polyglyceryl-10 Esters GOOD
Aluminum Isostearyl Glyceryl Phosphate GOOD
Aluminum Myristates Palmitate GOOD
Aluminum Stearoyl Glutamate GOOD
Arachidyl Glucoside EXCELLENT
Argan Oil Glycereth-8 Esters GOOD
Argan Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters EXCELLENT
Arginine Ferulate MODERATE
Avocado Oil PEG-8 Esters MODERATE
Avocado Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters MODERATE
Azelaic Acid/Polyglyceryl-3 Copolymer MODERATE
Babassuamide MEA MODERATE
Batyl Isostearate GOOD
Behendimonium Ethyl Stearyl Phosphate GOOD
Beheneth-2 EXCELLENT
Beheneth-5 GOOD
Behenoxy PEG-10 Dimethicone MODERATE
Behenyl Polyhydroxystearate MODERATE
Behenyl/Isostearyl Beeswax MODERATE
Behenyl/Stearyl Aminopropanediol Esters MODERATE
Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters GOOD
Bis-C16-18 Alkyl Glyceryl Undecyl Dimethicone GOOD
Bis-Diisopropanolamino-PG-Propyl Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PEG-14 Copolymer MODERATE
Bis-Hydroxyethyl Dihydroxypropyl Stearammonium Chloride GOOD
Bis-Isobutyl PEG-13/Dimethicone Copolymer GOOD
Bis-Methoxy PEG-15/PPG-4 Dimethicone GOOD
Bis-PEG-12 Dimethicone GOOD
Bis-PEG-18 Disiloxane MODERATE
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane MODERATE
Bis-PEG/PPG-20/5 PEG/PPG-20/5 Dimethicone GOOD
Bis-Vinyldimethicone/PEG-10 Dimethicone Crosspolymer GOOD
Bisamino PEG/PPG-41/3 Aminoethyl PG-Propyl Dimethicone MODERATE
Borage Seed Oil PEG-7 Dimethicone Esters GOOD
Borage Seed Oil PEG-8 Esters GOOD
Brassica Glycerides EXCELLENT
Butter Glycerides GOOD
C10-30 Alkyl PEG-25 Methacrylate MODERATE
C11-15 Pareth-12 Stearate GOOD
C11-15 Pareth-3 Oleate GOOD
C11-15 Pareth-3 Stearate GOOD
C12-13 Pareth-2 MODERATE
C12-15 Pareth-12 Oleate MODERATE
C12-15 Pareth-9 Hydrogenated Tallowate MODERATE
C12-16 Alcohols EXCELLENT
C12-18 Acid Triglyceride EXCELLENT
C12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester GOOD
C14-22 Alcohols EXCELLENT
C18-36 Acid GOOD
C20-40 Alcohols EXCELLENT
C30-50 Acid GOOD
C9-11 Alcohols GOOD
Canadian Colloidal Clay GOOD
Caproyl Ethyl Glucoside GOOD
Caprylic/Capric Glycerides EXCELLENT
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride PEG-4 Esters GOOD
Carapa Guaianensis Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters MODERATE
Ceteareth-7 MODERATE
Ceteareth-7 Stearate MODERATE
Cetearyl Glucoside EXCELLENT
Cetearyl Olivate EXCELLENT
Cetearyl Phosphate MODERATE
Ceteth-20 GOOD
Ceteth-3 Stearate MODERATE
Ceteth-5 Stearate MODERATE
Cetrimonium Carboxydecyl PEG-8 Dimethicone MODERATE
Cetrimonium Dimethicone PEG-8 Olivate/Succinate MODERATE
Cetyl Diglyceryl Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone MODERATE
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone GOOD
Cetyldimonium Ethyl Cetyl Phosphate MODERATE
Cetyloxypropyl Glyceryl Methoxypropyl Myristamide MODERATE
Cholesteryl Succinate GOOD
Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Rice Protein EXCELLENT
Cocotrimonium Methosulfate GOOD
Cottonseed Oil Glycereth-8 Esters MODERATE
Cottonseed Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters MODERATE
Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil Phytosterol Esters EXCELLENT
DATEM MODERATE
DEA-Hydrolyzed Lecithin MODERATE
DIPA-Lanolate MODERATE
Dextrin Palmitate/Ethylhexanoate GOOD
Dextrin Palmitate/Hexyldecanoate GOOD
Dextrin Palmitate/Stearate GOOD
Dextrin Stearate GOOD
Dibehenyl Methylamine MODERATE
Dibehenyldimonium Chloride GOOD
Dibehenyldimonium Methosulfate EXCELLENT
Dicetyl Phosphate GOOD
Diglycerin/Dilinoleic Acid/Hydroxystearic Acid Copolymer GOOD
Diglyceryl Sorbitan Tetraethylhexanoate MODERATE
Diglyceryl Stearate Malate GOOD
Diglycol Ethylhexyl Ether MODERATE
Dihydrogenated Tallow Methylamine MODERATE
Dihydrogenated Tallowamidoethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate MODERATE
Dilauryl Acetyl Dimonium Chloride GOOD
Dimethicone Copolyol GOOD
Dimethicone PEG-15 Acetate GOOD
Dimethicone PEG-3 Laurate GOOD
Dimethicone PEG-7 Cocoate GOOD
Dimethicone PEG-7 Isostearate GOOD
Dimethicone PEG-7 Octyldodecyl Citrate MODERATE
Dimethicone PEG-7 Olivate GOOD
Dimethicone PEG-7 Undecylenate GOOD
Dimethicone PEG-8 Avocadoate GOOD
Dimethicone PEG-8 Borageate MODERATE
Dimethicone PEG-8 Isostearate GOOD
Dimethicone PEG-8 Lanolate MODERATE
Dimethicone PEG-8 Laurate GOOD
Dimethicone PEG-8 Olivate GOOD
Dimethicone PEG-8 Succinate GOOD
Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer EXCELLENT
Dimethoxysilyl Ethylenediaminopropyl Dimethicone GOOD
Dimethyl Octynediol MODERATE
Dimethyl Tallowamine GOOD
Dipentaerythrityl Tri-Polyhydroxystearate EXCELLENT
Disodium Phenylene Bis-Isostearylphosphate MODERATE
Disoyamine GOOD
Disteareth-100 IPDI GOOD
Distearyl PEG-18 Formoyl Glutamate MODERATE
Ditallowamidoethyl Hydroxypropylamine MODERATE
Dodecanedioic Acid/Cetearyl Alcohol/Glycol Copolymer GOOD
Egg Oil GOOD
Emulsifying Wax NF EXCELLENT
Erythritol Stearate GOOD
Ethyl Hydroxymethyl Oleyl Oxazoline POOR
Ethylhexyl Coco-Oleate Estolides MODERATE
Ethylhexyl Polyhydroxystearate GOOD
Ethylhexyl Polyricinoleate GOOD
Ghatti Gum GOOD
Glycereth-17 Tallowate MODERATE
Glycereth-20 Cocoate GOOD
Glycereth-20 Stearate GOOD
Glycereth-8 Hydroxystearate MODERATE
Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate GOOD
Glyceryl Caprate GOOD
Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate EXCELLENT
Glyceryl Cocoate GOOD
Glyceryl Cocoate Citrate GOOD
Glyceryl Diisostearate GOOD
Glyceryl Dilaurate GOOD
Glyceryl Dioleate GOOD
Glyceryl Erucate GOOD
Glyceryl Glycyrrhetinate GOOD
Glyceryl Hydrogenated Rapeseedate MODERATE
Glyceryl Hydroxystearate/Oleate Esters GOOD
Glyceryl Isostearates GOOD
Glyceryl Lanolate MODERATE
Glyceryl Laurate SE EXCELLENT
Glyceryl Laurate/Oleate EXCELLENT
Glyceryl Lauryl Ether MODERATE
Glyceryl Oleate Citrate GOOD
Glyceryl Oleate SE EXCELLENT
Glyceryl Oleate/Elaidate GOOD
Glyceryl Palmitate Lactate GOOD
Glyceryl Ricinoleate SE GOOD
Glyceryl Sesquioleate GOOD
Glyceryl Stearate EXCELLENT
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate EXCELLENT
Glyceryl Stearate Lactate GOOD
Glyceryl Stearate Succinate GOOD
Glyceryl Stearate/Acetate GOOD
Glyceryl Undecyl Dimethicone GOOD
Glyceryl/Sorbitol Oleate/Hydroxystearate GOOD
Glycol Cetearate GOOD
Glycol Distearate GOOD
Glycol Palmitate GOOD
Glycol Stearate EXCELLENT
Glycol Stearate SE EXCELLENT
Glycolamide Stearate GOOD
Hexapeptide-40 MODERATE
Hydrogenated Dimer Dilinoleyl PEG-41/Poly(1,2-Butanediol)-18 Dimethyl Ether GOOD
Hydrogenated Dimer Dilinoleyl PEG-44/Poly(1,2-Butanediol)-15 Dimethyl Ether GOOD
Hydrogenated Lecithin EXCELLENT
Hydrogenated Sunflower Seed Oil Polyglyceryl-3 Esters EXCELLENT
Hydrogenated Tallow Glyceride EXCELLENT
Hydrogenated Tallow Glyceride Citrate GOOD
Hydrogenated Tallow Glyceride Lactate GOOD
Hydrogenated Tallow Glycerides Citrate GOOD
Hydrogenated Tallowamine MODERATE
Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides EXCELLENT
Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides Citrate EXCELLENT
Hydrolyzed Phospholipids GOOD
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer GOOD
Hydroxyethyl Behenamidopropyl Dimonium Chloride GOOD
Hydroxyethyl Erucamidopropyl Dimonium Chloride GOOD
Hydroxyethyl Glyceryl Oleate/Stearate GOOD
Hydroxyethyl Isostearyloxy Isopropanolamine MODERATE
Hydroxyethyldiethonium Polyisobutenyl Triethylaminosuccinate MODERATE
Hydroxylated Lecithin GOOD
Hydroxypropylcellulose EXCELLENT
Hydroxystearyl Glucoside GOOD
Inulin Lauryl Carbamate GOOD
Inulin Laurylcarbamate GOOD
Isobutyroyl C10-40 Hydroxyacid C10-40 Isoalkyl Esters MODERATE
Isoceteareth-8 Stearate MODERATE
Isoceteth-10 Stearate MODERATE
Isodeceth-2 Cocoate GOOD
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