Octoxynol-40 ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a nonionic surfactant and solubilizer, used to help oily materials, fragrance components, and actives disperse into water-based formulas. It can also support emulsions and improve wetting in rinse-off products.
What does Octoxynol-40 do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a nonionic surfactant and solubilizer, used to help oily materials, fragrance components, and actives disperse into water-based formulas. It can also support emulsions and improve wetting in rinse-off products.
Is Octoxynol-40 clean?
This ingredient has significant clean-standard friction because it is ethoxylated, which raises scrutiny around trace processing residues such as 1,4-dioxane if purification is not well controlled. It also belongs to a surfactant class many stricter lists restrict because of aquatic endocrine-activity concerns.
Is Octoxynol-40 sustainable?
This material is generally petrochemical-derived and is not a strong fit for renewable-sourcing goals. Its ethoxylate chain can break down, but related phenolic breakdown products may be more persistent in aquatic systems.
Is Octoxynol-40 COSMOS-approved?
It is not aligned with COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic standards because it is a synthetic ethoxylated petrochemical surfactant. From a Green Chemistry view, it scores poorly on renewable feedstock use and environmental fate compared with readily biodegradable plant-derived surfactants.
How does Octoxynol-40 work chemically?
The molecule is a nonionic aryl-alkyl surfactant with a long polyether chain, giving high water solubility and strong solubilizing power for low-polarity ingredients. It is typically stable across a broad cosmetic pH range, and formulators monitor residual ethoxylation byproducts and compatibility with electrolytes, fragrance oils, and preservatives.
Last updated 2026-05-13