Polysorbate 20

What is Polysorbate 20?

Polysorbate 20, also known as tween 20, is a liquid used in cosmetic formulations as a surfactant or emulsifier. Polysorbate 20 is used to improve the texture and the scent of skincare and cosmetic products.

What is polysorbate 20 used for?

Polysorbate 20 is used in a various types of liquid cosmetics and skin care like: toners, sprays, lotions, creams, body wash, shampoos and shower gels.

It is used in water based products as it helps bind the water and oil ingredients together. Polysorbate 20 is most commonly used to blend an essential or fragrance oil into water.

Polysorbate 20 is also used in cosmetics as a thickener as well as a viscosity modifier. This helps prevent changes in the product’s viscosity when in varying room temperatures, such as extreme cold or heat.

Polysorbate 20 for room spray

Polysorbate 20 is great in a room spray is used to combine an essential or fragrance oil into the water base, so the fragrance is dispersed evenly.

Try making your own room spray with polysorbate 20

Ingredients

• 250ml empty spray bottle

• Water 100ml

• Lemon essential oil 10ml

• Eucalyptus essential oil 10ml

• Polysorbate 20 20ml

• Geogard Ultra preservative 3g

Method

1. For your safety, put your gloves and safety goggles on. Then weigh out the geogard ultra into a bowl.

2. In a separate jug, measure the water.

3. Weigh the polysorbate 20 and essential oils into another bowl and combine together.

4. Mix the geogard ultra into the water until dissolved. This can take a few minutes to fully dissolve.

5. Once the water mixture is dissolved, add the polysorbate 20 and essential oils and mix together. If the mixture starts foaming when mixing, leave it for a few hours before bottling.

6. Now you can place the mixture into your bottle and use it in your home!

FAQ's

Is Polysorbate 20 natural?

Polysorbate 20 is produced by the reaction of sorbitol, lauric acid and ethylene oxide. Polysorbate 20 contains sorbitol (a sugar alcohol) which is a natural ingredient. This is treated with 20 moles of ethylene oxide.

The formulation of polysorbate 20 is not 100% natural. But it may be considered to be more natural than other alternatives. It is a low hazard ingredient, hover some sensitive skin types may experience skin irritation if used in moderate doses.