Peg-4 ●
TL;DR. This ingredient primarily functions as a water-soluble solvent and humectant, helping dissolve other ingredients and hold water in a formula. It can also support texture and spread in serums, creams, cleansers, and hair products.
What does Peg-4 do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient primarily functions as a water-soluble solvent and humectant, helping dissolve other ingredients and hold water in a formula. It can also support texture and spread in serums, creams, cleansers, and hair products.
Is Peg-4 clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, this ingredient is often flagged because it is made through ethoxylation, a process associated with trace residuals such as ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane when purification is not well controlled. It is generally low-irritation, but many clean standards restrict or exclude this class due to processing and contaminant concerns.
Is Peg-4 sustainable?
This material is typically petrochemical-derived and highly water-soluble. Its environmental profile is mixed, since lower-molecular-weight versions may biodegrade over time but are not usually treated as strong renewable or readily biodegradable choices.
Is Peg-4 COSMOS-approved?
It is not permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic standards because ethoxylated petrochemical-derived materials are outside the standard’s allowed chemistry. From a Green Chemistry lens, it scores poorly on renewable sourcing and processing simplicity, though its low use levels and water solubility are practical formulation advantages.
How does Peg-4 work chemically?
The molecule is a short-chain polyether with multiple oxygen atoms that bind water and improve miscibility between aqueous and polar components. It is stable across typical cosmetic pH ranges, compatible with many surfactants and humectants, and used where a light, water-soluble solvent effect is needed rather than oil-like emollience.
Last updated 2026-05-13