Polhydroxystearic Acid ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is primarily a dispersant and suspending agent, especially for mineral pigments and UV filters in sunscreens, complexion products, and color cosmetics. It helps keep particles evenly wetted and distributed in oils and emulsions.
What does Polhydroxystearic Acid do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is primarily a dispersant and suspending agent, especially for mineral pigments and UV filters in sunscreens, complexion products, and color cosmetics. It helps keep particles evenly wetted and distributed in oils and emulsions.
Is Polhydroxystearic Acid clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it is generally well tolerated, low in sensitization concern, and not a common restricted-list issue. Its main relevance is formulation quality, since good dispersion can improve texture, coverage, and evenness in mineral-based products.
Is Polhydroxystearic Acid sustainable?
This material is commonly derived from vegetable fatty acids, often castor-based feedstocks, rather than petrochemical inputs. It is expected to be biodegradable because it is built from fatty-acid ester chemistry, with sourcing quality depending on the agricultural supply chain.
Is Polhydroxystearic Acid COSMOS-approved?
It is permitted under COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic frameworks when the feedstock and processing route meet the standard’s criteria. It fits Green Chemistry principles reasonably well through renewable sourcing, low-use-level performance, and biodegradable fatty-acid-based structure.
How does Polhydroxystearic Acid work chemically?
The molecule is a polymeric fatty-acid ester with long hydrophobic C18 chains plus polar acid and hydroxyl functionality, which lets it anchor onto inorganic particle surfaces while remaining compatible with oily phases. Typical use is often around 0.5% to 5% depending on pigment load, and it is most useful in anhydrous systems, water-in-oil emulsions, and mineral sunscreen dispersions.
Last updated 2026-05-14