PEG-160 Sorbitan Triisostearate ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a nonionic emulsifier, solubilizer, and viscosity builder, especially in rinse-off surfactant systems such as shampoos, body washes, and cleansers. It helps disperse oily materials in water and can increase thickness without relying on salt alone.
What does PEG-160 Sorbitan Triisostearate do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a nonionic emulsifier, solubilizer, and viscosity builder, especially in rinse-off surfactant systems such as shampoos, body washes, and cleansers. It helps disperse oily materials in water and can increase thickness without relying on salt alone.
Is PEG-160 Sorbitan Triisostearate clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, this ingredient has friction because it is made through ethoxylation, a process associated with trace residual ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane if not well purified. It is generally considered low-irritation in finished formulas, but many stricter clean standards flag this material class for processing-residue concerns.
Is PEG-160 Sorbitan Triisostearate sustainable?
This material is partly fatty-acid-derived and partly petrochemical-derived, so its sourcing profile is mixed. Its large, highly ethoxylated structure is not a strong fit for readily biodegradable ingredient design and may be slower to break down in aquatic environments than simpler plant-derived emulsifiers.
Is PEG-160 Sorbitan Triisostearate COSMOS-approved?
This ingredient is not permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic standards because its manufacture relies on ethoxylation. Its Green Chemistry fit is limited by petrochemical input, processing-residue controls, and weaker biodegradability compared with simpler naturally derived surfactants and emulsifiers.
How does PEG-160 Sorbitan Triisostearate work chemically?
The molecule is a high-molecular-weight nonionic ester built from a sugar-alcohol-derived cyclic core, three branched C18 fatty acid chains, and a long polyether segment, giving it both oil-compatible and water-compatible regions. It is typically used at low single-digit percentages, is broadly compatible across mildly acidic to neutral personal-care formulas, and can lose integrity under strongly acidic or alkaline conditions because ester bonds are susceptible to hydrolysis.
Last updated 2026-05-13