Question 1

What does PEG-23M do in a cosmetic formula?

Accepted Answer

This ingredient is used mainly as a water-soluble thickener, binder, and film-former, adding slip and a smoother feel in gels, creams, hair products, and oral-care formulas.

Question 2

Is PEG-23M clean?

Accepted Answer

From a clean-beauty perspective, it faces friction because it is an ethoxylated synthetic polymer, a category often scrutinized for residual processing impurities such as 1,4-dioxane when purification is not well controlled. It is generally low-irritation on skin, but many stricter clean standards flag the category rather than the finished, purified material itself.

Question 3

Is PEG-23M sustainable?

Accepted Answer

This material is typically petroleum-derived and is not considered readily biodegradable. Its high molecular weight limits skin penetration, but environmental persistence and wastewater fate are the main sustainability concerns.

Question 4

Is PEG-23M COSMOS-approved?

Accepted Answer

This material is not permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic standards because it is a synthetic ethoxylated polymer. It has limited Green Chemistry alignment due to fossil feedstocks, low biodegradability, and reliance on ethoxylation chemistry, even though it can be effective at low use levels.

Question 5

How does PEG-23M work chemically?

Accepted Answer

The molecule is a very high molecular weight, nonionic linear polymer made from repeating -CH2CH2O- units with terminal hydroxyl groups, which gives strong water binding and viscosity-building behavior. It is commonly used at low levels, often around 0.05% to 0.5%, and is generally stable across typical cosmetic pH ranges, with hydration time, shear, and electrolyte load influencing final texture.