PEG in cosmetics

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Many people wonder: what is PEG that is often found in cosmetics? At first, we must say that PEG is an important chemical component in most daily cosmetic products that is responsible for their unique properties. Published: 10-24-2022 Polyethylene glycol (PEG) and its derivatives form a large family of petroleum-derived chemicals. They are enthusiastically used by formulators in the cosmetics industry and many other industrial sectors due to their relatively low price and desirable characteristics. Organizations such as the CIR ( Cosmetic Ingredient Review ) or the FDA ( Food and Drug Administration ) have deemed PEGs safe, so they can be an element of various formulations. General characteristics The acronym PEG stands for polyethylene glycol . It belongs to the group of polyoxyethylene glycols. From a chemical point of view, PEG is a polymer, that is, a chemical substance made up of several repeating units. For polyethylene glycol, the repeating fragment is the ethylene oxide molecule. The number of units that undergo polymerization varies (indicated by the number found in the PEG acronym, e.g., PEG-40 or PEG-400 ), resulting in a large number of PEG derivatives. different, so the entire group of substances are called PEG. Whether we talk about polyethylene glycol or its derivatives, they all have very good solubility in water, toluene, acetone, ethanol and methylene chloride. The properties of different compounds differ depending on the number of mers in the polymer chain.

Compounds with a lower molecular mass are normally liquids, while the higher the molecule (i.e. the longer the polymer chain), the higher the viscosity and therefore the substance takes the form of a paste, wax or solid. Unlike volatile organic compounds, liquid PEGs (those with low molecular mass) are not volatile. Additionally, PEG is flame retardant and biodegradable. Compounds classified as PEG usually show  CZ Leads  good stability in acids, bases, oxidants and reducers. The role and effect of PEGs in cosmetics. Given its unique characteristics, polyethylene glycol, indeed the entire PEG family, plays a number of important roles in cosmetic products. Below we present the main effects of PEGs in the cosmetic industry: emulsifier Emulsifying properties are crucial to formulating a durable emulsion in order to create a heterogeneous system composed of two liquids that do not mix. One of them forms the so-called continuous phase, while the other disperses within it and forms something we call the dispersed phase. The use of PEG to formulate emulsions (O/W or W/O) prolongs the useful life of the substance and, consequently, of the product based on that type of emulsion. humidity stabilizer Moisture in a cosmetic formulation is maintained at the proper level by compounds such as PEG.





Cosmetics containing moisture stabilizers not only ensure adequate product consistency, but are above all excellent as preparations designed for dry skin. PEGs as compounds with hydrophilic properties bind water molecules on the surface to create an occlusion layer. Maintains moisture at an appropriate level that allows the skin to remain healthy and conditioned. Equally important, polyethylene glycol does not increase the permeability of the epidermal barrier (protection against the absorption of harmful environmental substances and against exposure to ultraviolet radiation). washing substance As cosmetic ingredients , PEG and its derivatives play an effective role in the contaminant removal process. This characteristic is determined by the structure of its molecule: PEGs belong to surfactants with hydrophobic-hydrophilic properties. As washing substances, they are responsible for wetting the surface, peptizing and hydrolyzing grease (contaminants are usually greasy), and emulsifying and dispersing contaminants, which are then removed from the surface along with your vehicle. rheology controller What does it mean that a substance is a rheology controller ? Polyethylene glycol and its derivatives are capable of changing the viscosity of solutions, that is, modifying their rheology. The viscosity of a cosmetic product is one of the main parameters that must be measured and correlated. From a theoretical point of view, viscosity measurements allow us to obtain important information about the stability of emulsions.