Is Polysorbate 60 safe in cosmetics?
Polysorbate 60 has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Good
Emulsifier
Polysorbate 60
INCI: POLYSORBATE 60
Polysorbate 60 (CAS 9005-67-8) is a cosmetic emulsifier functioning as Emulsifier; solubilizer; surfactant. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted, max 1,4-dioxane process impurity ≤10 ppm per EU GMP guidance. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 9005-67-8 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
Emulsifier; solubilizer; surfactant
Safety Rating
GOOD
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
EU Max Conc.
1,4-dioxane process impurity ≤10 ppm per EU GMP guidance
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
CIR assessed polysorbate esters as safe as used in cosmetics. Ethoxylated sorbitan stearate (C18). HLB 14.9 positions it as an O/W emulsifier. 1,4-dioxane GMP control required. Same class-level penetration enhancement caution as Polysorbate 20.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Polysorbate 60.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Polysorbate 60.
Regulatory Flags
ethoxylated
peg-derived
1,4-dioxane-risk
penetration-enhancer
not-cosmos
eu_children_restricted
epa_safer_alternative
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Polysorbate 60 allowed in the EU?
Polysorbate 60 EU regulatory status: permitted. Maximum allowed concentration: 1,4-dioxane process impurity ≤10 ppm per EU GMP guidance. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Polysorbate 60 do in cosmetics?
Polysorbate 60 functions as: Emulsifier; solubilizer; surfactant. It is classified as a Emulsifier in our database. CAS number: 9005-67-8.
Compliance Tools
Check Polysorbate 60 compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
Paste a full ingredient list for instant analysis
82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
Check compliance across multiple jurisdictions
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions
Is Polysorbate 60 in Your Products?
Scan any product label with Piro — our free ingredient scanner. Point your camera at the ingredients list and get instant safety scores for every ingredient.
Try Piro Free →Analyze Your Full Ingredient List
Paste any INCI list into the Decoder for instant safety analysis, or calculate the Margin of Safety for Polysorbate 60 in your formulation.