POLYGLYCERYL-4 OLIVATE ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a plant-derived nonionic emulsifier and co-emulsifier that helps blend oil and water phases. It also improves skin feel and can support mild cleansing or solubilizing systems.
What does POLYGLYCERYL-4 OLIVATE do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a plant-derived nonionic emulsifier and co-emulsifier that helps blend oil and water phases. It also improves skin feel and can support mild cleansing or solubilizing systems.
Is POLYGLYCERYL-4 OLIVATE clean?
Clean-beauty frameworks generally treat this ingredient as low-friction because it is mild, non-ethoxylated, and not associated with common fragrance allergen concerns. Watchpoints are mainly supplier quality and residual processing impurities, not the molecule itself.
Is POLYGLYCERYL-4 OLIVATE sustainable?
This material is typically made from vegetable fatty acids and polyglycerol, with feedstock traceability depending on the supplier. It is expected to be readily biodegradable and has low persistence concerns compared with silicone or fluorinated film-formers.
Is POLYGLYCERYL-4 OLIVATE COSMOS-approved?
It is permitted under COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic frameworks when sourced and processed according to the standard. Its Green Chemistry fit is strong because it uses renewable lipid feedstocks, ester chemistry, and a biodegradable nonionic structure.
How does POLYGLYCERYL-4 OLIVATE work chemically?
The molecule is a mixture of esters formed from a polyglycerol backbone and C16 to C18 vegetable fatty acid chains, giving it amphiphilic behavior for oil-water interface stabilization. It is commonly used around 1 to 5% in emulsions, performs best with fatty alcohols or other co-emulsifiers, and is generally stable across mildly acidic to neutral cosmetic pH ranges.
Last updated 2026-05-13