What Is Peg-9 Laurate?
Peg-9 Laurate is a man-made ingredient created by attaching about nine units of ethylene oxide to lauric acid, a fatty acid most commonly sourced from coconut or palm kernel oil. The result is a waxy, water-soluble compound that acts like a bridge between oil and water. Chemists first began modifying natural fatty acids with ethylene oxide in the mid-20th century to improve the texture and stability of personal care products, and Peg-9 Laurate quickly found a place in modern formulas. Production involves reacting purified lauric acid with ethylene oxide under controlled heat and pressure, then neutralizing and purifying the end product to meet cosmetic safety standards.
You are likely to find Peg-9 Laurate in cleansers, lightweight lotions, makeup removers, facial masks, sunscreens, tinted moisturizers and hair conditioners. Any product that needs to keep oil and water evenly blended can benefit from its presence.
Peg-9 Laurate’s Cosmetic Benefits/Uses
Peg-9 Laurate serves one primary purpose in cosmetics: it is an emulsifying agent. By reducing the surface tension between water and oil, it helps disperse oily ingredients into a smooth, uniform mixture. This keeps creams from separating, gives lotions a pleasant spreadable feel and allows cleansing oils to rinse away cleanly, which improves both product performance and shelf life.
Who Can Use Peg-9 Laurate
Peg-9 Laurate is generally well tolerated by all skin types, from oily to dry to combination. Its mild nature and low molecular weight let it sit lightly on the skin, making it suitable even for most sensitive users. People who have a known allergy to polyethylene glycols or who react easily to surfactants may want to avoid it, as they could experience redness or irritation.
The ingredient is synthesized from plant-derived lauric acid and ethylene oxide so it is typically considered vegan and vegetarian friendly. Those strictly avoiding palm-based raw materials should check with the brand, since lauric acid can be sourced from either coconut or palm.
No specific warnings exist for pregnant or breastfeeding women when Peg-9 Laurate is used topically in cosmetic concentrations. This information is not medical advice and anyone who is pregnant or nursing should run all skincare products past a qualified healthcare provider just to be on the safe side.
Peg-9 Laurate does not make skin more sensitive to sunlight and it carries no known interactions with common active ingredients such as retinoids or alpha-hydroxy acids.
Potential Side Effects/Adverse Reactions
Side effects and reactions to topical Peg-9 Laurate vary from person to person. The following list covers potential issues but they are uncommon when the ingredient is used correctly in a finished product.
- Mild skin irritation
- Allergic contact dermatitis in people sensitive to polyethylene glycols
- Transient eye stinging if a product gets into the eyes
- Folliculitis or small bumps in very acne-prone users when used at high levels
- Dryness or tightness if used in a formula with a high percentage of cleansing agents
If you notice any persistent redness stinging or other discomfort stop using the product and seek advice from a medical professional.
Comedogenic Rating
Rating: 1/5
Peg-9 Laurate starts with lauric acid, which on its own can be pore clogging, but the addition of nine ethylene oxide units makes the molecule far more water soluble and less likely to linger in pores. In most formulas it is used at low levels solely to keep oil and water mixed, so the risk of it building up inside follicles is minimal. Therefore it earns a low comedogenic score of 1.
Suitable for acne-prone or breakout-prone skin in the vast majority of cases.
As with all ingredients comedogenicity can vary depending on the overall formula. Very heavy creams packed with other rich emollients may still feel too occlusive for some users even if Peg-9 Laurate itself is not highly comedogenic.
Summary
Peg-9 Laurate is an emulsifier that helps water and oil stay blended giving products a smooth stable texture. It does this by surrounding tiny oil droplets with a hydrophilic shell so they can remain suspended in water based formulas without separating.
You will see it pop up in a fair number of cleansers lotions sunscreens and makeup removers though it is not the trendiest ingredient on ingredient lists today. Brands choose it because it is reliable cost effective and easy to formulate with.
Overall safety data show Peg-9 Laurate is low risk for irritation or sensitization when used at typical cosmetic levels. It is considered non-sensitizing non-phototoxic and compatible with most actives. Still everyone’s skin is different so it is wise to do a small patch test when trying any new product that contains it.