PEG 40 (Hydrogenated Castor Oil)

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Versatile nonionic solubilizer and surfactant used to incorporate oils, fragrances, and essential oils into water-based cosmetic formulations.

INCI Name: PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Appearance: Clear to pale yellow viscous liquid or semi-solid

Solubility: Water-dispersible and self-emulsifying

Function: Solubilizer, surfactant, emulsifier, cleansing aid

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is widely used in skincare, haircare, cleansing products, and fragrance systems to help disperse oils into water-based formulations. It helps create clearer, more stable systems while improving compatibility between oil and water phases.

Supplied as a cosmetic raw material for formulation use.

What It Does

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil helps disperse oils, fragrances, essential oils, and lipophilic ingredients into aqueous systems. It improves clarity, reduces separation, and supports more stable cosmetic formulations with better sensory performance.

Typical Use Levels

• 0.5–3% — Light solubilizing and fragrance incorporation
• 3–10% — Cleansing systems and micellar applications
• 10%+ — Higher oil-load or specialized surfactant systems

How to Incorporate

• Pre-mix with fragrance oils or essential oils before adding to water.
• Can be added directly into the water phase of formulations.
• Compatible with many surfactants, glycols, and humectants.

Formulation Notes

• Helps improve clarity in water-based systems.
• Useful for incorporating fragrance oils into mists and sprays.
• Can improve cleansing performance and reduce harshness in some systems.
• Widely used in micellar waters, toners, shampoos, and body cleansers.
• Works well alongside other nonionic surfactants and solubilizers.

Common Applications

• Facial cleansers and micellar waters
• Body washes and shampoos
• Fragrance and essential oil sprays
• Toners and water-based serums
• Bath and cleansing products

Useful when formulators need oil and water to cooperate temporarily instead of behaving like divorced parents at a school recital.

Documents

• Certificate of Analysis (COA)
• Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

Storage

• Store in a tightly sealed container.
• Protect from excessive heat and contamination.
• Mix thoroughly before use if slight separation occurs.

Disclaimer

This material is supplied for cosmetic formulation use only. Users are responsible for evaluating compatibility, stability, and regulatory compliance within finished formulations.