PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides

PEG / Ethoxylated

What is PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides?

PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides is created by ethoxylating glycerides extracted from shea butter, sourced from the nuts of the Vitellaria paradoxa tree native to Africa. This process attaches a chain of 75 ethylene oxide units, yielding a hydrophilic, amphiphilic compound. Primarily featured in rinse-off products like shampoos, shower gels, and micellar waters, as well as leave-on items such as lotions and serums. It operates by mimicking natural lipids to soften skin surfaces, dispersing oils into water for clear solutions, forming protective films at oil-water interfaces for emulsion stability, and facilitating dirt removal through micelle creation. Its shea base imparts mild conditioning without heavy occlusion, suiting diverse formulations from foaming cleansers to lightweight moisturizers. (128 words)

Comedogenic Rating 0/5 Low risk of clogging pores
EWG Safety Rating 3 View on EWG →

Roles in Formulation

This ingredient serves the following purposes in cosmetic formulations:

Emollient
Softens and smooths skin by filling in surface roughness and improving slip; can also help reduce moisture loss when paired with occlusives and film formers.
Surfactant
Lowers surface tension to enable cleansing, emulsifying, and foaming; central to shampoos, body washes, and many emulsions and micellar systems.
Cleansing agent
Removes dirt, oil, and impurities by lowering surface tension and forming micelles, enabling soils to be lifted and rinsed away from skin, hair, or teeth.
Solubilizing agent
Helps incorporate oils and fragrance into water-based formulas by forming micro-solutions, enabling clear sprays, toners, and micellar products.
Emulsifying agent
Enables stable mixing of oil and water phases by forming an interfacial film, helping create lotions, creams, and cleansers with consistent texture.

Benefits

Delivers emollient effects to smooth and soften skin texture.

Supports effective cleansing by enabling micelle formation for impurity removal.

Enhances formula stability through emulsification and solubilization of oils.

Who It's For

A quick guide for who this ingredient may suit (and who should be cautious).

Who May Benefit Who Should Avoid
Individuals seeking gentle, non-greasy emollients in daily cleansers.
Those with known sensitivity to polyethylene glycol compounds.
Users of water-based products needing oil solubilization for clarity.
Individuals avoiding ethoxylated ingredients due to purity concerns.
People preferring shea-derived ingredients for mild skin conditioning.
Users with highly reactive skin preferring minimal synthetic modifications.

Safety Notes

  • Considered safe for cosmetic use by regulatory reviews, with low risk in typical concentrations.
  • Potential for trace impurities like ethylene oxide requires good manufacturing practices.

Frequently Asked Questions about PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides

What is PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides derived from?

It comes from glycerides of shea butter, a natural fat from the African shea tree nut, modified with polyethylene glycol for water solubility.

Is it suitable for sensitive skin?

It functions as a mild surfactant and emollient, generally well-tolerated in low concentrations within cleansers and lotions.

Does it clog pores?

Rated non-comedogenic, making it unlikely to contribute to pore blockage in formulations.