Shea Butter Glycereth-8 Esters  are derived from the esterification of shea butter (Butyrospermum parkii) with Glycereth-8, a polyethylene glycol derivative of glycerin. These esters are widely used in the cosmetic and personal care industry for their emulsifying, moisturizing, and skin-conditioning properties.

Chemical Composition and Structure

Shea Butter Glycereth-8 Esters contain a variety of bioactive compounds that contribute to their beneficial properties:

• Fatty Acids: Including stearic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid, which provide moisturizing and skin-conditioning benefits.
• Glycereth-8: Enhances the hydrating and humectant properties of the esters.
• Vitamins: Such as Vitamin A and Vitamin E, which are beneficial for skin health.
• Phytosterols: Contribute to the anti-inflammatory and healing properties of the esters.
• Triterpenes: Known for their anti-inflammatory and skin-healing properties.

Physical Properties

Shea Butter Glycereth-8 Esters typically appear as a white to off-white, waxy solid with a smooth texture. They are soluble in water and oils, making them suitable for various cosmetic formulations such as lotions, creams, and emulsions. The esters have a mild, characteristic scent of shea butter.

Cosmetic and Personal Care Applications

• Emulsifying: Helps to blend oil and water phases in formulations, creating stable emulsions.
• Moisturizing: Helps to maintain skin hydration, preventing dryness and promoting softness.
• Skin Conditioning: Improves the texture and appearance of the skin, making it smoother and healthier.
• Emollient: Provides a smooth and soft feel to the skin, improving its texture and appearance.
• Anti-inflammatory: Reduces redness, swelling, and irritation associated with various skin conditions.

Cosmetics - INCI Functions

Cleansing agent. Ingredient that cleanses skin without exploiting the surface-active properties that produce a lowering of the surface tension of the stratum corneum. 

Surfactant - Cleansing agent. Cosmetic products used to cleanse the skin utilise the surface-active action that produces a lowering of the surface tension of the stratum corneum, facilitating the removal of dirt and impurities. 

Surfactant - Emulsifying agent. Emulsions are thermodynamically unstable and are used to soothe or soften the skin and emulsify, so they need a specific, stabilising ingredient. This ingredient forms a film, lowers the surface tension and makes two immiscible liquids miscible. A very important factor affecting the stability of the emulsion is the amount of the emulsifying agent. Emulsifiers have the property of reducing the oil/water or water/oil interfacial tension, improving the stability of the emulsion and also directly influencing the stability, sensory properties and surface tension of sunscreens by modulating the filmometric performance.

Safety

It is a product structurally related to PEGs (polyethylene glycerol ethers) on the safety of which the scientific literature has conflicting opinions.

Since the PEG (Polyethylene glycol) family is very numerous and can be found in cosmetic, industrial, pharmaceutical, medical and other products, we need to make an introductory statement on the subject, which is rather complex from a safety point of view because these products not only come into contact with the skin, but, as in the case of medical products, are ingested.

PEGs (polyethylene glycol) polymerise condensed ethylene oxide and water and are referred to as polyethylene glycols, but are actually complex chemical components, polymers bonded together. For example, plastic is polyethylene and has a hard consistency, while polyethylene combined with glycol forms a liquid. PEGylation is produced not only as etherification, but also as transesterification, which is the transformation of an alcohol by an ester. 

The number appearing after the abbreviation PEG represents the molecular weight and the higher this number is, the less it penetrates the skin.

The term 'eth' refers to the ethoxylation reaction with ethylene oxide after which residues of ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane, chemical compounds considered carcinogenic, may remain. The degree of safety therefore depends on the degree of purity of the compound obtained. At present, no manufacturer is known to provide this information on the label.