Polysorbate 80: What It Is, What It Does, and Is It Safe?
Polysorbate 80 turns up on cream labels and on food labels, which leads a lot of people to ask what it is doing in both. Here is what it is, what it does in a cream, and what the safety reviews found.
What polysorbate 80 is
Polysorbate 80 is an emulsifier (an ingredient that keeps oil and water blended). Its chemical name is polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate. It is made by reacting oleic acid (a fatty acid) with sorbitol, and then reacting that with ethylene oxide (a reactive gas used in manufacturing). 21 CFR 172.840.
It belongs to a family of 80 related ingredients called polysorbates, which share a core of sorbitan or sorbitol joined to PEG chains (short, water-loving chains) and fatty acids. CIR safety assessment, 2015. On a label, its INCI name (the standard naming system for cosmetic ingredients) is Polysorbate 80. You may also see it called Tween 80, a trade name used in research. Bergh et al., 1997.
What it does in a cream
A cream is a blend of water and oils, and those two do not mix on their own. In cosmetics, polysorbates work mostly as surfactants (ingredients that let oil and water mix), and polysorbate 80 is used to make oil-in-water emulsions in cosmetics and medicines. CIR, 2015; Bergh et al., 1997.
It is a common choice. In 2015, polysorbate 80 was reported in 932 cosmetic products, up from 231 in 1998. CIR, 2015.
It is also an approved food ingredient. The FDA allows polysorbate 80 as an emulsifier in foods such as ice cream and frozen desserts, at up to 0.1% of the finished dessert, along with other food uses. 21 CFR 172.840.
Is polysorbate 80 safe in skin care?
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel, an independent group of scientists and doctors that reviews cosmetic ingredient safety, concluded that polysorbates, including polysorbate 80, are safe as cosmetic ingredients at the amounts used when formulated to be non-irritating. CIR, 2015.
In human irritation studies, polysorbate 80 at full strength (100%) did not irritate the skin. CIR, 2015. The panel also noted little or no irritation or sensitization (developing a skin allergy) in multiple skin and eye tests, and no genotoxicity (damage to genetic material) in standard lab tests. CIR, 2015.
The review is open about a few points to know. Polysorbate 80 can help other ingredients pass into skin, so the panel asked formulators to take care when combining it with ingredients whose safety depends on low skin absorption, especially in products for infants. CIR, 2015. Because it is made with ethylene oxide, the panel stressed that manufacturers should keep limiting the possible impurities 1,4-dioxane (a trace by-product of that process) and ethylene oxide. CIR, 2015.
Research has also looked at what happens when polysorbate 80 is exposed to air. A 1997 study found that it oxidizes into a mix of compounds, and that both fresh and air-exposed samples could cause skin allergy in guinea pigs. Bergh et al., 1997. If you know you react to polysorbates, check labels and patch test new products.
How to spot polysorbate 80 on a label
Look for Polysorbate 80. Its relatives use other numbers, such as Polysorbate 20 and Polysorbate 60. CIR, 2015.
Ingredient order tells you something. The FDA requires cosmetic ingredients to be listed in descending order of predominance, so the largest amounts come first, and ingredients at 1% or less may be listed in any order after the rest. FDA Cosmetics Labeling Guide.
Want to check a product you already own? Paste any label into our free Ingredient Label Decoder.
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FAQ
Is polysorbate 80 safe in skin care?
The CIR Expert Panel found it safe in cosmetics at the amounts used when formulated to be non-irritating, and it did not irritate skin even at 100% in human studies. CIR, 2015.
Why is polysorbate 80 also in food?
It does the same job in food that it does in a cream: it keeps fats and water blended. The FDA allows it as an emulsifier in foods such as ice cream, within set limits. 21 CFR 172.840.
What does an emulsifier do?
An emulsifier lets oil and water stay mixed instead of separating. Polysorbate 80 is used this way to make oil-in-water emulsions. Bergh et al., 1997.