PEG-7/PPG-2 propylheptyl ether is a chemical compound, the product obtained by the reaction of 2-propylheptanol with 7 mol of ethylene oxide and 2 mol of propylene oxide.

What it is used for and where

Cosmetics

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 - Dispersing agent. Surfactant ingredient with cleaning properties that acts as a dispersing agent, capable of creating a barrier between particles by dispersing them and improving the separation between particles during the dispersion process. The particles undergo wetting, separation and then stabilisation of the suspension.

Surfactant - Emulsifying agent. Emulsions are thermodynamically unstable. Emulsifiers have the property to reduce the oil/water or water/oil interfacial tension, improve emulsion stability and also directly influence the stability, sensory properties and surface tension of sunscreens by modulating their filmometric performance.

Light stabilizer. It prevents light from degrading light-sensitive components and slows down degradation reactions that have already begun. The mechanism is, in a way, similar to antioxidants and the effectiveness depends on the.complexity of the formulation and the density of the product.

Surfactant - Solubilising agent. Solubilisation facilitates the diffusion and transport of many cosmetic ingredients, even in the form of microemulsions, on the stratum corneum, improving the effectiveness of formulations.

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.

Safety. 

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.

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