Polysorbate-80

CAS No- 9005-65-6

Polysorbate 80 is a skincare ingredient used in cosmetics and personal care products to improve the texture of products. Polysorbate 80 is used as a surfactant, emulsifier, and solubilizer, helping to produce smooth, easy to apply skincare and body care products. While the texture of the product is mainly a sensory, it is important to also help the product to spread easily deliver the key ingredients evenly to the skin.

Polysorbate 80 is produced by the ethoxylation of a molecule called sorbitan. Sorbitan is the dehydrated form of sorbitol, a sugar alcohol that can naturally be found in some fruits. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction in which ethylene oxide is added to a substrate, in this case, sorbitan. Sorbitan is reacted with 80 units of ethylene oxide, which is where the 80 in polysorbate 80 comes from. Polysorbate 80 exists as a thick, water-soluble yellow liquid.Polysorbate 80 is similar in function to polysorbate 20, and 60 which are used in skincare and cosmetic products as well.

In addition to its function in cosmetics, polysorbate 80 can be used to prepare a wide variety of products in the food, drug, textile, and metalworking industries.