Steareth-21

What Is It?

The Steareth ingredients (Steareth-3, Steareth-5, Steareth-8, Steareth-14, Steareth-16, Steareth-21, Steareth-25, Steareth-27, Steareth-30, Steareth-40, Steareth-50, Steareth-80, Steareth-100, Steareth-200) are polyethylene glycol ethers of stearic acid. They are waxy compounds. In cosmetics and personal care products, Steareth ingredients are used in the formulation of a wide variety of cosmetics and personal care products including makeup, lotions, personal cleanliness products and deodorants, as well as suntan, fragrance, skin, eye and hair care products.

Why Is It Used?

The following functions have been reported for the Steareth ingredients.

  • Surfactant – cleansing agent – Steareth-16, Steareth-21, Steareth-25, Steareth-27, Steareth-30, Steareth-40, Steareth-50, Steareth-80, Steareth-100
  • Surfactant – emulsifying agent – Steareth-3, Steareth-5, Steareth-8, Steareth-14, Steareth-16, Steareth-21
  • Surfactant – solubilizing agent – Steareth-21, Steareth-25, Steareth-27, Steareth-30, Steareth-40, Steareth-50, Steareth-80, Steareth-100

Scientific Facts

The Steareth ingredients are prepared by reacting ethylene oxide with stearyl alcohol where the numerical value in the name corresponds to the average number of units of ethylene oxide. For example, Steareth-5 is prepared using an average of 5 units of ethylene oxide reacted with stearyl alcohol.

Safety Information

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permits fatty alcohols (including stearic alcohol) reacted with polyethylene glycol to be used as indirect food additives as components of textiles and textile fibers. The safety the Steareth ingredients has been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel as part of the review of the alkyl PEG ether group of ingredients. The CIR Expert Panel evaluated the scientific data and concluded that the Steareth ingredients were safe for use in cosmetic products when formulated to be non-irritating.

CIR Safety Review:

Based on similar structures, the CIR Expert Panel determined that the alkyl PEG ether compounds, including the Steareth ingredients could be reviewed together. Developmental and reproductive toxicity studies as well as mutagenicity data were all negative for these compounds. These compounds can irritate the skin. Therefore, the CIR Expert Panel concluded that the Steareth ingredients, as well as the other alkyl PEG ether ingredients were safe as used when formulated to be nonirritating. Small amounts of 1,4-dioxane, a by-product of ethoxylation, may be found in the Steareth ingredients.

The potential presence of this material is well known and can be controlled through purification steps to remove it from the ingredients before blending into cosmetic formulations.

More information about 1,4-dioxane.

Link to the FDA Code of Federal Regulations: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr…

Steareth-3, Steareth-5, Steareth-8, Steareth-14, Steareth-16, Steareth-21, Steareth-25, Steareth-27, Steareth-30, Steareth-40, Steareth-50, Steareth-80, Steareth-100 and Steareth-200 may be used in cosmetics and personal care products marketed in Europe according to the general provisions of the Cosmetics Regulation of the European Union. Ingredients of animal origin must comply with European Union animal by-products regulations.

Link to the EU Cosmetic Regulation: http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/product_labelling_and_packaging/co0013_en.htm

More Scientific Information

The Steareth ingredients are a series of polyoxyethylene stearyl ethers. In cosmetics and personal care products, the Steareths function mainly as surfactant – cleansing agents, surfactant – emulsifying agents and surfactant – solublizing agents.

Resources

Find out more about the regulation of Food Additives by the Food and Drug Administration

Food Ingredients and Packaging: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/default.htm

Food Contact Substances: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/PackagingFCS/default.htm

Substances Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS): http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/GRAS/default.htm

Search the Code of Federal Regulations http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm

EU Cosmetics Inventory http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cosmetics/cosing/