What Is Glycereth-20?
Glycereth-20 is a water-loving ingredient made by linking glycerin with ethylene oxide to create a clear syrupy liquid. Glycerin itself is usually sourced from plant oils or sometimes from synthetic routes, and when it is reacted with about twenty units of ethylene oxide it forms Glycereth-20. Chemists developed this process in the mid-20th century when they were looking for gentler alternatives to harsh soaps, and they found that modifying natural glycerin helped improve texture and moisture retention in skin care.
Production starts with purified glycerin. Under controlled heat and pressure, ethylene oxide is added step by step. Each step hooks another “oxyethylene” unit onto the backbone, boosting water solubility and reducing stickiness compared with plain glycerin. After neutralizing any leftover reactants, the result is filtered and quality checked for cosmetic grade purity.
Thanks to its smooth feel and ability to draw water, Glycereth-20 appears in many rinse-off and leave-on products. You will most often see it in facial cleansers, lightweight moisturizers, hydrating serums, sheet masks, soothing after-sun gels, color cosmetics like foundations, hair conditioners and even makeup removers where it helps the formula glide and keeps skin comfortable.
Glycereth-20’s Cosmetic Benefits/Uses
Formulators choose Glycereth-20 because it pulls in moisture and fine-tunes texture, making products both pleasant to use and effective.
- Humectant: Attracts water from the environment and from deeper skin layers to the surface, helping skin feel soft and look plump. This boosts immediate hydration and can improve the spreadability of creams or gels
- Viscosity controlling: Adjusts thickness so a formula is neither too runny nor too stiff. It lends a silky slip that helps cleansers foam evenly and lotions apply in a smooth uniform layer
Who Can Use Glycereth-20
Thanks to its light texture and mild nature Glycereth-20 works for almost every skin type. Dry and dehydrated skin benefit from its water-binding ability while oily or combination skin appreciate that it hydrates without feeling greasy. Sensitive skin generally tolerates it well because it has a low likelihood of causing stinging or redness. There are no known issues that make it unsuitable for mature or teen skin.
The ingredient itself is considered vegan friendly because glycerin used today is most often obtained from plant oils or produced synthetically. Formulas can still vary so strict vegans and vegetarians may want to confirm the glycerin source with the brand.
No studies show that topical Glycereth-20 poses a risk during pregnancy or breastfeeding and systemic absorption is minimal. This is not medical advice and anyone who is pregnant or nursing should run any skincare product past a doctor just to be safe.
Glycereth-20 does not increase photosensitivity so it will not make skin more likely to burn in the sun. It also plays nicely with other common skincare ingredients and does not interfere with actives like retinoids or vitamin C.
Potential Side Effects/Adverse Reactions
Reactions to topical Glycereth-20 differ from person to person. The points below cover potential side effects yet most users will never experience them when the ingredient is used correctly in a well-formulated product.
- Mild irritation or redness in individuals with extremely compromised skin barriers
- Transient stinging if applied to freshly exfoliated or cracked skin
- Rare allergic contact dermatitis presenting as itching or small bumps
- Eye irritation such as watering or burning if a product accidentally gets into the eyes
- Very low humidity tightness where a humectant may pull water out of skin leading to a dry feel
If any discomfort develops stop using the product and seek guidance from a healthcare professional or dermatologist.
Comedogenic Rating
Rating: 0 – 1
Glycereth-20 is highly water-soluble and lightweight so it does not sit in pores or form an oily film that could trap debris. Most published ingredient lists that assign scores to cosmetic raw materials place glycerin and its ethoxylated forms at the very bottom of the comedogenic scale. For that reason it earns a practical rating of 0 to 1 depending on the overall formula it is used in.
Because of this low score Glycereth-20 is generally considered suitable for acne-prone or breakout-prone skin. Only in extremely heavy or occlusive formulas could its presence be part of a pore-clogging mix, but on its own it has no real tendency to cause comedones.
One extra note: if you are evaluating a finished product remember that other ingredients, not Glycereth-20, are more likely to influence whether the product clogs pores.
Summary
Glycereth-20 is mainly a humectant and viscosity controller. It attracts water to the skin surface for a quick hit of hydration and adjusts thickness so lotions, gels and cleansers feel silky and easy to spread.
It is a fairly common helper ingredient in mass market and professional skincare although it rarely gets star billing on labels. Formulators appreciate that it boosts slip without greasiness which keeps it in steady demand.
Safety data show a very low irritation and comedogenic risk so most people can use it with confidence. Still, skin is individual so try a small patch first whenever you introduce a new product that contains Glycereth-20 just to stay on the safe side.