Glyceryl Monostearate ●
TL;DR. This ingredient primarily acts as a nonionic co-emulsifier and consistency builder, helping oil and water phases stay blended while giving creams and lotions a thicker, smoother feel. It can also add mild emollience and opacity.
What does Glyceryl Monostearate do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient primarily acts as a nonionic co-emulsifier and consistency builder, helping oil and water phases stay blended while giving creams and lotions a thicker, smoother feel. It can also add mild emollience and opacity.
Is Glyceryl Monostearate clean?
This ingredient is generally well tolerated and is not a common restricted-list concern in clean beauty frameworks. Sensitivity is uncommon, and the main clean-standard questions usually relate to feedstock sourcing rather than skin compatibility.
Is Glyceryl Monostearate sustainable?
This material is commonly made from vegetable-derived fatty acids and a plant or fermentation-derived polyol, though palm or soy supply chains may be involved. It is considered biodegradable and is not known for environmental persistence or bioaccumulation concerns.
Is Glyceryl Monostearate COSMOS-approved?
It is permitted under COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic when made from approved natural-source inputs and compliant processing. Its fit with Green Chemistry is strong when renewable feedstocks are used, with good biodegradability and a relatively simple esterification route.
How does Glyceryl Monostearate work chemically?
The molecule is a nonionic monoester with a three-carbon polyol head and a saturated C18 lipid tail, giving it low water solubility and an HLB around 3 to 4 depending on grade. Typical use levels are about 1 to 5 percent, and it is usually heated into the oil phase, with ester stability best in mildly acidic to neutral systems and less robust under strong acid or alkaline conditions.
Last updated 2026-05-13