Polysorbate 20
Polysorbate 20
Cosmetic Grade Polysorbate 20 (Tween 20), High-Hydrophilic Non-Ionic Surfactant For Solubilizing Essential Oil, Fragrance & Oil-Soluble Actives In Toner, Micellar Water, Serum, Lotion And Hair-Care FormulationsProduct Specification
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
Product Name |
Polysorbate 20 |
INCI Name |
Polysorbate 20 |
CAS No. |
9005-64-5 |
Appearance |
Yellow-amber clear viscous oily liquid |
Source |
Ethoxylation synthesis of sorbitan monolaurate, cosmetic refined grade |
HLB Value |
16.7 (high hydrophilicity for O-W system & solubilization) |
Solubility |
Freely soluble in water, ethanol; insoluble in mineral oil & fixed plant oils |
pH (1% aqueous solution) |
5.0-7.0 |
Recommended Dosage |
0.5%-5.0% for cosmetic formulations |
MOQ |
1kg |
Shelf Life |
24 months under sealed cool-dry storage |
Grade |
Cosmetic Refined Grade (low 1,4-dioxane residual) |
What Is Polysorbate 20?
Polysorbate 20, also known as Tween 20, is a widely-used high-HLB non-ionic surfactant synthesized by ethoxylating sorbitan monolaurate. It is a viscous amber-yellow liquid at room temperature, with excellent water-soluble property. Its core value is to solubilize small-dose hydrophobic substances including essential oils, cosmetic fragrances, oil-soluble vitamins and lipophilic actives into water-based systems to obtain transparent, non-turbid finished products.
Different from PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polysorbate 20 delivers better wetting and mild cleansing performance; it can serve as co-emulsifier for O/W cream and lotion, and also work as dispersing agent for pigment and fine particles. It shows good compatibility with most non-ionic and anionic surfactants. Aogebio supplies high-purity cosmetic-grade Polysorbate 20 in bulk, offering free samples, full qualification documents and global one-stop shipping services for cosmetic manufacturers.
Core Advantages Of Our Polysorbate 20
Cosmetic-Grade Purified & Low Impurity
Multi-step vacuum stripping refining process, strictly control 1,4-dioxane residual, low peculiar odor, stable composition, suitable for high-grade transparent aqueous cosmetic formulas.
Powerful Solubilizing Capacity For Oil-Based Components
High HLB-16.7 hydrophilic characteristic, effectively solubilize essential oil, perfume and lipophilic actives in water phase, keep toner, micellar water and essence crystal-clear without turbidity or precipitation.
Mild Non-Ionic Surfactant Property
Low skin and mucosa irritation, can compound with anionic / amphoteric surfactants to reduce overall irritation of cleansing products, safe for leave-on and rinse-off cosmetic applications.
Excellent Wetting & Dispersing Performance
Reduce solution surface tension, improve wetting effect on skin and hair; help uniform dispersion of pigments and fine powders, avoid agglomeration in color cosmetic systems.
Good Formula Compatibility
Compatible with polyols, most non-ionic & anionic surfactants, thickeners and water-soluble actives; fit for toner, serum, micellar water, lotion, cream, shampoo and many other formula types.
Stable Batch Quality & Flexible Supply
Consistent batch-to-batch solubilizing performance & physical indicators, fit for large-scale industrial production; support sample testing, small-batch trial order and large-volume bulk customization.
How Polysorbate 20 Works In Cosmetic Formulations
Polysorbate 20 molecules contain both hydrophilic polyethylene-oxide chain segments and lipophilic lauric-acid chain segments. When pre-mixed with oil-phase substances such as essential oil, it forms micellar encapsulation structure, so hydrophobic oil-based components can be stably dispersed in water phase without oil floating or turbidity.
In O/W emulsion systems, it acts as co-emulsifier to reduce oil-water interfacial tension, reinforce emulsion stability and restrain phase separation. In cleansing formulas, its micelle structure can wrap dirt and grease to realize mild cleaning effect. It does not penetrate deep into skin, mainly optimizes formula solubilization, emulsification and physical stability. Long-term extreme strong-acid or strong-alkali environment will cause ester-bond hydrolysis and performance decline.
Main Functions & Cosmetic Application Fields
Core Functional Benefits
- • Oil-substance solubilizer: solubilize essential oil, fragrance, oil-soluble vitamins into water-based formula, maintain transparency
- • O/W co-emulsifier: assist to stabilize oil-water emulsion, prevent lotion and cream oil floating & stratification
- • Mild cleansing & wetting agent: reduce surface tension, bring gentle cleansing effect for micellar water and shampoo
- • Dispersing agent: promote uniform dispersion of pigment, fine powder in cosmetic systems
- • Improve formula compatibility between lipophilic additives and aqueous base material
Suitable Cosmetic Formulas
- • Scented toner, transparent essence, hydrating serum with lipophilic actives
- • Micellar cleansing water, mild facial cleanser and makeup remover
- • O/W moisturizing lotion, facial cream and body cream (as co-emulsifier)
- • Water-based hair mist, shampoo, scalp care serum and hair-care products
- • Transparent body spray, fragrance water and water-based aromatic cosmetic
- • Light-weight water-based color cosmetics and suspension cosmetic systems
Formulation Guide: Dosage, Solubility & Matching Tips
Recommended dosage:
- -Solubilizing toner / essence: 0.5%-2.0% (the ratio of Polysorbate20 to solubilized oil is recommended 2:1 ~5:1)
- -Micellar water & cleansing products: 1.0%-3.0%
- -O/W lotion & cream (co-emulsifier): 1.0%-3.0%
- -Hair-care & spray products: 0.5%-1.5%
Solubility: Freely soluble in water and ethanol; insoluble in mineral oil and most fixed plant oils.
Recommended matching ingredients: Glycerin, sorbitol, xanthan gum, carbomer, anionic & amphoteric surfactants, essential oils, oil-soluble vitamins.
Formulation Notes:
- -Better pre-mix Polysorbate 20 fully with essential oil / fragrance first, then add this premix under stirring into water phase, to get better transparent solubilizing effect.
- -Avoid long-term high-temperature heating above 80℃, prevent oxidative discoloration and odor deterioration.
- -Not suitable for extreme pH environment (pH＜2 or pH＞12), easy to trigger ester hydrolysis and lose solubilizing capacity.
- -Avoid direct compounding with high-concentration cationic surfactants, which may produce precipitation.
- -Add antioxidant vitamin E for long-term thermal processing to slow down oxidation.
- -Seal and store under cool-dry condition; low-temperature environment may bring slight turbidity, return to room temperature and stir evenly before use, performance will not be affected.
Packaging, MOQ & Global Shipping Details
- Sample package: 10g, 50g, 100g free testing samples (sealed aluminum foil bag)
- Small bulk: 1kg / 5kg sealed moisture-proof aluminum foil bag
- Large bulk: 25kg moisture-proof plastic drum with inner sealed liner
- MOQ: 1kg
- Shipping: Global door-to-door shipping, support DHL, FedEx, air freight and sea freight
- Lead time: 3-7 working days for samples; 7-15 working days for bulk orders
- Custom service: Custom packaging and private label service for large-volume orders
Storage & Shelf Life Standard
Storage Conditions
Store in cool, dry, dark and well-ventilated warehouse, keep tightly sealed. Keep away from heat source, direct sunlight and strong oxidizing agents, prevent oxidative yellowing and performance degradation. Slight turbidity may occur under low-temperature storage, restore to room temperature and stir evenly for normal use.
Standard Shelf Life
24 months under standard sealed cool-dry storage conditions.
Certifications & Compliance Documents (COA, MSDS, TDS)
Our cosmetic-grade Polysorbate 20 meets global cosmetic raw-material safety standards:
- EU CosIng database registered cosmetic ingredient
- ISO22716 & GMP cosmetic production system certification
- Each batch comes with complete COA, MSDS, TDS technical documents
- Support third-party professional testing and verification
We provide stable high-quality Polysorbate 20 raw-materials for global daily-chemical and cosmetic manufacturers.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Q1: What is the difference between Polysorbate 20 and PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil?
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Q2: Why does turbidity appear after adding Polysorbate 20 and essential oil to water?
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Q3: Is Polysorbate 20 irritating for skin?
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Q4: What is your minimum order quantity and sample policy?
A: MOQ is 1kg. We provide free test samples for customer formula research and trial-production.
Get Wholesale Quote & Free Testing Sample
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WhatsApp: 0086-18091843361
Official Website: www.aogebio.com
Factory Address: Xi'an, Shaanxi, China