PEG-10 ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is mainly used as a water-soluble solvent, humectant, and slip modifier. It can also help dissolve or disperse other formula components in gels, creams, and cleansers.
What does PEG-10 do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is mainly used as a water-soluble solvent, humectant, and slip modifier. It can also help dissolve or disperse other formula components in gels, creams, and cleansers.
Is PEG-10 clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it has friction because it is made through ethoxylation and may require controls for residual ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane. When highly purified, it is generally low-irritation on skin.
Is PEG-10 sustainable?
This material is typically made from petroleum-derived feedstocks. Lower-molecular-weight grades are generally water-soluble and can biodegrade, but the sourcing and manufacturing chemistry are not strong fits for renewable or low-impact ingredient design.
Is PEG-10 COSMOS-approved?
It is not permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic standards because ethoxylated materials are excluded. Its Green Chemistry profile is limited by petrochemical sourcing, reactive processing, and impurity-control requirements.
How does PEG-10 work chemically?
The molecule is a short-chain, nonionic polyether with an average of about 10 oxyethylene units, giving it strong water miscibility and solvent behavior. It is broadly stable across typical cosmetic pH ranges and is usually formulated in low single-digit percentages, with purification quality being the key technical consideration.
Last updated 2026-05-13