PEG-4 Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate consists of Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-hydro-.omega.-hydroxy-, ether with oxybis[propanediol] octadecanoate (4 mol EO average molar ratio). This compound is widely used in the cosmetic industry for its emulsifying, conditioning, and moisturizing properties, enhancing various skincare and haircare products.

Chemical Composition and Structure

PEG-4 Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate combines the beneficial properties of Polyglycerin-2 and PEG-4, known for their excellent emulsifying and hydrating capabilities, with stearic acid, which provides rich emollient and nourishing properties. The resulting esters improve the stability of emulsions and offer superior conditioning and moisturizing benefits for the skin and hair.

Physical Properties

PEG-4 Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate typically appears as a viscous or semi-solid substance, with a color ranging from clear to pale yellow. It is soluble in oils and has limited water solubility, making it ideal for use in various cosmetic formulations. It contributes to a rich, non-greasy texture, enhancing the sensory experience of cosmetic products.

Production Process

Esterification: The production involves the esterification of Polyglycerin-2 and PEG-4 with stearic acid. This process requires precise control of reaction conditions to ensure the formation of stable and effective esters.
Purification: Following esterification, the product undergoes extensive purification to remove any unreacted materials and by-products, ensuring its purity and suitability for cosmetic use.
Quality Control: Rigorous testing is conducted on the final product to assess its purity, stability, and performance in various cosmetic formulations. These tests often include evaluations of emulsion stability, viscosity, and compatibility with other cosmetic ingredients.

Applications

Cosmetic Products: Widely used in creams, lotions, and serums for its emulsifying and moisturizing properties, improving the texture and feel of the product on the skin.
Skin Care: Ideal for moisturizing and nourishing products, providing a smooth and enriching feel to the skin due to its emollient properties.
Hair Care: Incorporated into conditioners and hair masks, contributing to the nourishment, softening, and conditioning of the hair.

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


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.
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