Polysorbate Crosspolymer-5 ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is used as a polymeric emulsifier and stabilizer, helping disperse oils, fragrance, and pigments in water-based formulas. It can also improve texture and suspension in gels, serums, and emulsions.
What does Polysorbate Crosspolymer-5 do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is used as a polymeric emulsifier and stabilizer, helping disperse oils, fragrance, and pigments in water-based formulas. It can also improve texture and suspension in gels, serums, and emulsions.
Is Polysorbate Crosspolymer-5 clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, this ingredient has friction because it is an ethoxylated synthetic polymer, so residual ethylene oxide or 1,4-dioxane control matters. It is generally considered low-sensitizing in finished formulas, but it is not a strong fit for the strictest clean or natural standards.
Is Polysorbate Crosspolymer-5 sustainable?
This material is typically made from a mix of petrochemical polyether chemistry and fatty-acid or sorbitan-derived inputs. Its polymeric structure means biodegradability is less straightforward than simple sugar, oil, or fatty alcohol ingredients, and environmental persistence data are limited.
Is Polysorbate Crosspolymer-5 COSMOS-approved?
It is not aligned with COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic because ethoxylated ingredients and many synthetic crosslinked polymers are outside the standard. From a Green Chemistry view, the main compromises are petrochemical processing, ethoxylation, and uncertain end-of-life biodegradation.
How does Polysorbate Crosspolymer-5 work chemically?
The molecule is a crosslinked nonionic polymer built around polyoxyethylene-rich, amphiphilic ester segments, which lets it sit at oil-water interfaces and stabilize dispersed phases. It is typically used at low percentages as a formulation aid, with performance depending on electrolyte load, oil phase type, and the presence of other surfactants or rheology modifiers.
Last updated 2026-08-17