Trideceth-6 ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a nonionic surfactant, emulsifier, and solubilizer used to disperse oils, fragrance components, and other lipophilic materials in water-based formulas. It can also support cleansing and wetting in rinse-off products.
What does Trideceth-6 do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a nonionic surfactant, emulsifier, and solubilizer used to disperse oils, fragrance components, and other lipophilic materials in water-based formulas. It can also support cleansing and wetting in rinse-off products.
Is Trideceth-6 clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it has friction because it is ethoxylated, which can carry trace residuals such as 1,4-dioxane if not well purified. It is not a common sensitizer, but many stricter clean standards flag this processing route rather than the finished molecule alone.
Is Trideceth-6 sustainable?
This material is made from a fatty alcohol component plus ethylene oxide, so its sourcing can be mixed petrochemical and oleochemical depending on the supplier. It is generally expected to biodegrade, but its manufacture relies on a petrochemical-derived reagent and creates more environmental scrutiny than simpler plant-derived surfactants.
Is Trideceth-6 COSMOS-approved?
It is generally not permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic standards because ethoxylation is not an accepted processing route. Its Green Chemistry fit is compromised by petrochemical input and residual-management requirements, even though the molecule itself is typically biodegradable.
How does Trideceth-6 work chemically?
The molecule is a nonionic ethoxylated fatty alcohol with an approximately C13 hydrophobic chain and an average of about six oxyethylene units, giving it oil-solubilizing and emulsifying behavior. It is usually stable across typical cosmetic pH ranges and is often used in low percentages as a solubilizer or higher levels in surfactant blends, with supplier testing needed for residual ethoxylation byproducts.
Last updated 2026-05-13