Oleth-10 Phosphate ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is mainly used as an anionic emulsifier and co-surfactant, helping oil and water systems form stable lotions, creams, and cleansing products. It also improves wetting, dispersion, and rinse feel in formulas that contain oils or pigments.
What does Oleth-10 Phosphate do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is mainly used as an anionic emulsifier and co-surfactant, helping oil and water systems form stable lotions, creams, and cleansing products. It also improves wetting, dispersion, and rinse feel in formulas that contain oils or pigments.
Is Oleth-10 Phosphate clean?
Clean standards often flag it because it is ethoxylated, which creates scrutiny for residual ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane if purification is not well controlled. Skin and eye tolerance is formulation-dependent, with more sting potential at higher active levels than many mild nonionic emulsifiers.
Is Oleth-10 Phosphate sustainable?
It is typically made from a fatty alcohol feedstock that may be plant-derived or petrochemical, then modified with petrochemical oxide chemistry. Biodegradability depends on chain length and wastewater conditions, and the phosphorus-containing head group makes nutrient-load considerations more relevant than for simple plant oils or fatty alcohols.
Is Oleth-10 Phosphate COSMOS-approved?
It is not permitted under COSMOS natural or organic because it is made through ethoxylation, a process outside the standard’s allowed chemistry for natural-derived ingredients. From a Green Chemistry lens, the renewable fatty portion is outweighed by petrochemical input, residual-control needs, and a less favorable end-of-life profile than simpler readily biodegradable surfactants.
How does Oleth-10 Phosphate work chemically?
The molecule combines a C18 unsaturated alkyl chain, roughly 10 oxyethylene units, and an acidic ester head group, giving it both oil affinity and strong water compatibility after neutralization. It is commonly used around 0.5% to 5% active in emulsions and cleansing systems, and performance depends on pH, counterion choice, electrolyte level, and pairing with nonionic or amphoteric surfactants.
Last updated 2026-05-13