Mauritia Flexuosa Seed Oil PEG-8 Esters are a class of compounds derived from the esterification of mauritia flexuosa seed oil with PEG-8 (polyethylene glycol 8). these esters are valued for their emollient and solubilizing properties, making them useful in various cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications.

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE

chemically, mauritia flexuosa seed oil PEG-8 esters consist of fatty acid chains from mauritia flexuosa seed oil bonded to a PEG-8 structure. this combination provides the compound with unique solubility and stability properties.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

Appearance: generally a clear to pale yellow liquid.
Odor: characteristic mild odor.
Solubility: soluble in water and various organic solvents.
Density: varies based on specific formulation and concentration of the esters.

PRODUCTION PROCESS

Harvesting the Seeds: the seeds of mauritia flexuosa are harvested once they reach maturity.
Oil Extraction: the oil is extracted from the seeds using methods such as cold pressing.
Preparation of PEG-8: PEG-8 is prepared through the polymerization of ethylene oxide.
Esterification: mauritia flexuosa seed oil is reacted with PEG-8 under controlled temperature and pressure conditions to form the esters.
Filtration and Purification: the resulting esters are filtered and purified to remove any impurities and obtain a high-quality product.
Packaging and Storage: the final product is packaged and stored in a cool, dry place to maintain its properties.

APPLICATIONS

Medical: used in topical formulations for its emollient and moisturizing properties, helping to improve skin health.
Cosmetics: commonly found in creams, lotions, cleansers, and hair care products as an emollient and solubilizer. enhances the texture of cosmetic products and their ability to distribute active ingredients evenly.
Others: used as a solubilizer and stabilizer in various pharmaceutical and industrial products.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS

Biodegradability: mauritia flexuosa seed oil PEG-8 esters are biodegradable, making them environmentally friendly.

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


Skin conditioning agent - Emollient. Emollients have the characteristic of enhancing the skin barrier through a source of exogenous lipids that adhere to the skin, improving barrier properties by filling gaps in intercorneocyte clusters to improve hydration while protecting against inflammation. In practice, they have the ability to create a barrier that prevents transepidermal water loss. Emollients are described as degreasing or refreshing additives that improve the lipid content of the upper layers of the skin by preventing degreasing and drying of the skin. The problem with emollients is that many have a strong lipophilic character and are identified as occlusive ingredients; they are oily and fatty materials that remain on the skin surface and reduce transepidermal water loss. In cosmetics, emollients and moisturisers are often considered synonymous with humectants and occlusives.

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.
Synonyms:

CAS: