Methyl Gluceth-20 ●
TL;DR. It is a water-soluble humectant and skin-feel modifier that helps bind water while adding slip without heavy oiliness. It can also support formula texture in gels, lotions, and water-based serums.
What does Methyl Gluceth-20 do in a cosmetic formula?
It is a water-soluble humectant and skin-feel modifier that helps bind water while adding slip without heavy oiliness. It can also support formula texture in gels, lotions, and water-based serums.
Is Methyl Gluceth-20 clean?
Clean-beauty standards often flag this ingredient because ethoxylation can leave trace 1,4-dioxane or ethylene oxide unless purification and testing are well controlled. In finished products it is generally considered low-irritation and well tolerated.
Is Methyl Gluceth-20 sustainable?
This material is partly sugar-derived and partly petrochemical-derived, so its sourcing profile is mixed. It is water soluble and not typically associated with bioaccumulation, but its processing route is less aligned with low-impact plant-based chemistry than simpler humectants.
Is Methyl Gluceth-20 COSMOS-approved?
It is not permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic because ethoxylated materials sit outside the standard. Its Green Chemistry fit is mixed, with a renewable carbohydrate starting point but petrochemical input and residue-control requirements.
How does Methyl Gluceth-20 work chemically?
The molecule is a nonionic polyether built from a methylated glucose core with an average of about 20 oxyethylene units, giving it high water solubility and hygroscopic behavior. It is commonly used around 1 to 10% as a humectant and slip agent, is broadly pH-stable in aqueous systems, and benefits from specifications controlling 1,4-dioxane residues.
Last updated 2026-05-13