INCI
Cosmetic ingredient

POLYGLYCERYL-4 ISOSTEARATE

Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, listed on labels as POLYGLYCERYL-4 ISOSTEARATE, is an ester made by joining polyglycerol and isostearic acid. The isostearic part is a branched fatty acid, while the polyglycerol part has an affinity for water. That combination helps explain why it is used in preparations that bring water and oils together.

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CAS number
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EC number
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POLYGLYCERYL-4 ISOSTEARATE: what it is

Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, listed on labels as POLYGLYCERYL-4 ISOSTEARATE, is an ester made by joining polyglycerol and isostearic acid. The isostearic part is a branched fatty acid, while the polyglycerol part has an affinity for water. That combination helps explain why it is used in preparations that bring water and oils together.

The number 4 refers to the average number of glycerol units associated with the polyglycerol used to describe this ingredient. It distinguishes it from esters with a different polyglycerol number or fatty acid: the names may look similar, but the combination is not the same. Raw materials and manufacturing routes can vary among suppliers, which cannot be determined from a product's ingredient list.

POLYGLYCERYL-4 ISOSTEARATE: what it does in cosmetics

POLYGLYCERYL-4 ISOSTEARATE works as an emulsifier and surfactant. In a lotion, cream or makeup product containing water and oils, this type of component helps those parts remain more evenly dispersed instead of separating quickly. For the person using the product, the intended result is a uniform formula that spreads more consistently; it is not, on its own, a skin-treatment active.

In laboratory-tested oil-in-water emulsions, it was used as a co-emulsifier and affected the structure of the preparation. That finding concerns how a formula behaves; it does not show hydration, sun protection, or improvement of acne, dark spots or wrinkles. Final texture and performance depend on the full set of ingredients and the proportions selected for that product.

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