Dipentaerythrityl Tri-Polyhydroxystearate ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is primarily a pigment dispersant and binder, helping mineral pigments and powders spread evenly in anhydrous makeup, balms, sticks, and sunscreens. It also adds emollience, adhesion, and a cushioned feel.
What does Dipentaerythrityl Tri-Polyhydroxystearate do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is primarily a pigment dispersant and binder, helping mineral pigments and powders spread evenly in anhydrous makeup, balms, sticks, and sunscreens. It also adds emollience, adhesion, and a cushioned feel.
Is Dipentaerythrityl Tri-Polyhydroxystearate clean?
It is generally viewed as low-irritation and is not a common clean-standard restricted-list material. The main clean-beauty caveat is that it is a processed ester with possible synthetic feedstock inputs, rather than a simple minimally processed oil or wax.
Is Dipentaerythrityl Tri-Polyhydroxystearate sustainable?
This material is typically based partly on fatty-acid chemistry that may be plant-derived, often from hydroxystearic-acid sources such as castor, combined with a polyol backbone. It is nonvolatile and ester-based, so it is a better environmental fit than persistent silicones, though its high molecular weight can mean slower biodegradation than simple plant oils.
Is Dipentaerythrityl Tri-Polyhydroxystearate COSMOS-approved?
This ingredient has partial alignment with COSMOS and Green Chemistry principles because esterification of fatty-derived inputs is an accepted type of chemistry, but the polyol portion and supplier-specific feedstocks can affect whether a given grade is permitted. Its best fit is in naturally derived formulations when documentation confirms allowed raw materials, biodegradability, and compliant processing.
How does Dipentaerythrityl Tri-Polyhydroxystearate work chemically?
The molecule is a high-molecular-weight, nonionic ester built from a multi-functional polyol core and polymeric hydroxystearic acid chains, which gives it strong pigment-wetting and film-binding behavior. It is oil-dispersible, essentially water-insoluble, stable across typical anhydrous and emulsion pH conditions, and commonly used in color cosmetics at low to moderate levels depending on pigment load.
Last updated 2026-05-16