Laureth-21 ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a nonionic surfactant and high-HLB emulsifier used to help oil and water mix, solubilize fragrance or oily ingredients, and improve rinse-off texture.
What does Laureth-21 do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a nonionic surfactant and high-HLB emulsifier used to help oil and water mix, solubilize fragrance or oily ingredients, and improve rinse-off texture.
Is Laureth-21 clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it is generally mild on skin but has clean-standard friction because it is an ethoxylated material. The main quality issue is control of residual 1,4-dioxane from processing, which reputable suppliers reduce through purification and testing.
Is Laureth-21 sustainable?
This material is typically made from a fatty alcohol combined with petrochemical-derived ethylene oxide, so its sourcing can be partly renewable and partly fossil-based. It is expected to biodegrade better than persistent silicone-type materials, but its manufacturing route is less aligned with renewable, low-residue chemistry.
Is Laureth-21 COSMOS-approved?
It is not permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic standards because the ethoxylation route is outside the standard’s allowed processing framework. Its Green Chemistry profile is mixed, with useful performance at low levels but reliance on reactive petrochemical processing and residue-control requirements.
How does Laureth-21 work chemically?
The molecule is a nonionic polyether built from a C12 fatty chain attached to about 21 oxyethylene units, giving it strong water compatibility and a high HLB emulsifying profile. It is commonly used around 0.5% to 5% depending on whether it is serving as a solubilizer, emulsifier, or co-surfactant, and it is generally stable across typical cosmetic pH ranges.
Last updated 2026-05-13