Triethylhexanoin

Triethylhexanoin is a triglyceride ester of 2-ethylhexanoic acid, a colorless, clear liquid soluble in many organic solvents. It is a unique emollient that imparts an elegant, light-skin feel and a powdery after-feel to formulations. Incorporated into formulas, it gives excellent spreadability, leading to a lighter product on the skin.

Triethylhexanoin doesn’t leave products with a sticky, greasy, or waxy after-feel, making it a pleasure to use—for both the formulator and the consumer. It is also non-occlusive, light-spreading, and suitable for medium dispersions. It is ideal for improving the feel of formulations containing powder and other solid-phase ingredients – e.g., liquid foundations, compact powders, lipsticks, eye pencils, and inorganic suncare creams and milk.

Triethylhexanoin is also an excellent solvent for organic sun filters. It allows high SPF and pigment-loaded formulations without compromising skin feel. It is also non-animal-derived, resistant to extreme pH conditions, and chemically stable against oxidation and hydrolysis, which makes it an ideal ingredient for various personal care products.

It is a perfect alternative to silicones, especially for cyclomethicone. A trained panel compared the sensory properties of Triethylhexanoin to those of cyclomethicone. This test demonstrated clearly that it has a similar sensory profile. This enables the formulation of products with a similar skin feel to those containing volatile silicones without incorporating it into the formulation.

Triethylhexanoin is used in facial, body, and baby-care products, decorative cosmetics (facial make-up, lip, and eye make-up), sun protection/after-sun products, antiperspirants and deodorants, shaving and after-shave applications, depilatory creams and permanent wave lotions, and AHA, BHA containing emulsions.