PEG-90M, or Polyethylene Glycol-90M, is a polymer derived from polyethylene glycol (PEG) with a high molecular weight. It is used in cosmetics and personal care products as a thickening agent and stabilizer. PEG-90M helps to create a gel-like consistency and enhances the texture and application of various formulations.

Chemical Composition and Structure:

Chemical Name: Polyethylene Glycol-90M
Molecular Weight: High molecular weight
Structure: PEG-90M consists of a long chain of ethylene glycol units linked together, forming a polymer with high molecular weight.
Physical Properties:

Appearance: White to off-white powder or granules
Odor: Odorless
Solubility: Soluble in water; forms gels and viscous solutions

Production Process:

Synthesis:
PEG-90M is synthesized through the polymerization of ethylene glycol. The process involves reacting ethylene glycol with a polymerization catalyst to form a high molecular weight polymer.
Purification:
The synthesized PEG-90M is purified to remove any residual monomers or impurities.
Formulation:
Purified PEG-90M is processed into a powder or granule form and incorporated into cosmetic and personal care formulations.

Applications:

Thickening Agent: Used to increase the viscosity and stability of formulations.
Stabilizer: Helps to stabilize emulsions and suspensions in cosmetic products.
Gelling Agent: Forms gels that improve the texture and consistency of products.

Environmental and Safety Considerations:

PEG-90M is generally considered safe for use in cosmetics and personal care products when used according to established guidelines. It is important to ensure that PEG-90M is sourced sustainably and is free from harmful contaminants. Users with sensitive skin should perform a patch test to ensure compatibility.

Cosmetic Safety

PEG (Polyethylene glycol) polymerize condensed ethylene oxide and water and are referred to as polyethylene glycols, but they are actually complex chemical components, polymers bonded together. For example, plastic is polyethylene and has a hard consistency, while polyethylene aggregated with glycol forms a liquid. PEGylation is produced not only as heterification but also as transesterification, which is the transformation of an alcohol by an ester.
The number that appears 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. No manufacturer appears to provide this information on the label, at least as of the date of this review.
Kim MC, Park SY, Kwon SY, Kim YK, Kim YI, Seo YS, Cho SM, Shin EC, Mok JH, Lee YB. Application of Static Headspace GC-MS Method for Selective 1,4-Dioxane Detection in Food Additives. Foods. 2023 Sep 2;12(17):3299. doi: 10.3390/foods12173299.
Abstract. "Efficient detection methods must be developed for 1,4-dioxane due to its suspected status as a human carcinogen, which is highly mobile in food and environmental resources. In this regard, this experiment has been conducted to develop reliable and selective detection and measurement methods by using static headspace (SH) isolation, followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A new method was developed for determining the spiked 1,4-dioxane contents in a polyethylene glycol 600 (PEG 600). The optimal condition for SH-GC-MS was discussed. The representative ions of 1,4-dioxane and 1,4-dioxane-d8 in the SIM mode of MS are 88 and 96, respectively, and the peaks of the SIM mode were separated and confirmed. The linear range for the method covers 0.25 to 100 mg/L with a coefficient of determination (R2) ≥ 0.999. The method applicability was demonstrated by spike recovery across a variety of food additives (i.e., chlorine bitartrate, choline chloride, polysorbate 20 and 60, and PEG 1000). All spike recovery from the tested samples was in the range of 89.50-102.68% with a precision of 0.44-11.22%. These findings suggest a new analytical method for food safety inspection, and could be applicable for ensuring the safety of foods and environmental and public health on a broad scale."

INCI Functions:


Binder agent. Ingredient that is used in cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical products as an anti-caking agent with the function of making the product in which it is incorporated silky, compact and homogenous. The binder, either natural such as mucilage, gums and starches or chemical, may be in the form of a powder or liquid.

Emulsion stabiliser. Emulsions are thermodynamically unstable. Emulsion stabilisers improve the formation and stability of single and double emulsions. as well as their shelf-life. It should be noted that in the structure-function relationship, the molar mass of the ingredient used plays an important role.

Surfactant - Foam booster. It has the effect of introducing gas bubbles into the water and affects the cleaning process by helping to spread the cleanser. Since sebum has an inhibiting effect on the bubble, more foam is produced in the second shampoo.
Synonyms:

CAS: