Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a nonionic emulsifier that helps blend oil and water into stable creams, lotions, and milks. It also supports a softer skin feel and can improve the texture of emulsions without relying on ethoxylated chemistry.
What does Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a nonionic emulsifier that helps blend oil and water into stable creams, lotions, and milks. It also supports a softer skin feel and can improve the texture of emulsions without relying on ethoxylated chemistry.
Is Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, this ingredient is generally well tolerated, not a common allergen, and not typically flagged on restricted lists. Its main quality considerations are feedstock traceability and ensuring low residual processing impurities from esterification.
Is Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate sustainable?
This material is commonly made from glycerin and fatty-acid feedstocks that can be plant-derived, although palm-family sourcing is possible and should be documented. It is expected to be readily biodegradable and does not raise the persistence concerns associated with silicone or fluorinated materials.
Is Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate COSMOS-approved?
It is generally compatible with COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic formulations when produced from approved renewable feedstocks and permitted esterification processes. It fits Green Chemistry principles reasonably well because it can use plant-based inputs, avoids ethoxylation, and breaks down more readily than persistent synthetic film formers.
How does Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate work chemically?
The molecule is a nonionic polyglycerol fatty ester, with a hydrophilic polyglycerol head group and a saturated C18 lipid tail that gives it oil-water interfacial activity. Typical use is about 1 to 5% in emulsions, often paired with fatty alcohols, gums, or other co-emulsifiers for viscosity and stability across mildly acidic to neutral pH systems.
Last updated 2026-05-13