Peg-14m ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is primarily a viscosity builder and film-forming polymer. It thickens water-based formulas, improves slip, and helps gels, cleansers, and hair products feel more cushioned.
What does Peg-14m do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is primarily a viscosity builder and film-forming polymer. It thickens water-based formulas, improves slip, and helps gels, cleansers, and hair products feel more cushioned.
Is Peg-14m clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, this ingredient gets friction because it is made by ethoxylation, a process that requires tight control of ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane residues. It is generally low in skin sensitization at cosmetic use levels, but many clean standards restrict or exclude this class rather than treating it as a simple skin-tolerance issue.
Is Peg-14m sustainable?
This material is synthetic and typically petroleum-derived. It is water-soluble, but high-molecular-weight synthetic polyethers are not strong fits for readily biodegradable, renewable-material sourcing goals.
Is Peg-14m COSMOS-approved?
This ingredient is not permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic standards because it is an ethoxylated synthetic polymer. Its Green Chemistry fit is limited by non-renewable feedstocks, ethoxylation chemistry, and weaker end-of-life performance than readily biodegradable natural thickeners.
How does Peg-14m work chemically?
The molecule is a very high-molecular-weight linear polyether that hydrates in water and increases viscosity through chain entanglement. It is typically used at low levels, often below 1%, and is generally stable across common cosmetic pH ranges, with final texture influenced by hydration time, shear, and electrolyte load.
Last updated 2026-05-13