POLYGLYCERYL-3 POLYRICINOLEATE
Polyglyceryl-3 polyricinoleate is a polymeric ester made from triglycerol and ricinoleic-acid chains. That combination brings together a portion with greater affinity for water and another with greater affinity for oils, which helps explain why it is useful in preparations that contain both phases.
POLYGLYCERYL-3 POLYRICINOLEATE: what it is
Polyglyceryl-3 polyricinoleate is a polymeric ester made from triglycerol and ricinoleic-acid chains. That combination brings together a portion with greater affinity for water and another with greater affinity for oils, which helps explain why it is useful in preparations that contain both phases.
The “polyricinoleate” part refers to ricinoleic acid, a fatty acid found in castor oil. That does not make this ingredient the same thing as raw castor oil: in cosmetics it is a processed material, with polyglyceryl units linked to fatty chains. The name on a label alone does not establish the source of the raw material used for a particular product.
POLYGLYCERYL-3 POLYRICINOLEATE: what it does in cosmetics
In cosmetics, polyglyceryl-3 polyricinoleate helps water and oil remain dispersed instead of quickly splitting apart. In practical terms, this emulsifying action can support a more even texture in creams and fluid products that contain both an oil phase and a water phase.
It can also adjust consistency, influencing how a formula flows, spreads and holds its body. A study of water-in-oil-in-water liquid foundations evaluated this ingredient among several emulsifiers and measured the physical stability of the mixtures. That finding concerns a specific laboratory formulation; it does not show a direct effect on skin.
Products containing this ingredient
See which products include it and the name used in each composition.
