Polysorbate 80 is a polyethoxylated sorbitan ester (20-mole ethoxylate of sorbitan monooleate), an excellent oil-in-water emulsifier with an HLB value of 15.0. It is an amber, viscous liquid and is odorless. It is soluble in water and alcohol. It is suitable for either oil-in-water or water-in-oil systems, especially when blended with sorbitan monostearates.
Polysorbate 80 works well in systems with unsaturated lipid components such as oleyl alcohol and vegetable triglycerides. It can provide fragrance or emollient solubilization and act as an emulsifier for skin care emulsions, make-up foundations, and hair rinses.
Polysorbate 80 can be combined with low HLB emulsifiers to form stable emulsions, especially when used with fatty alcohols, such as Cetearyl alcohol. A classic emulsifier combination is Polysorbate 80 and Sorbitan Oleate.
This multifunctional ingredient can also be used as a stabilizer, wetting, and dispersing agent. It is suitable for skin care, oral, parenteral, and ophthalmic preparations. It has been used in body washes, hair shampoos, lotions, creams, bath oils, and solubilizates, typically at a use level of 1-5%.It is a safe ingredient and used in Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) production, a multi-purpose food additive (listed in 21CFR 172.846), and filler in vitamin-mineral supplements (cited in 21CFR 172.840).
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