What Is Peg-60 Tsubakiate Glycerides?
Peg-60 Tsubakiate Glycerides is an ingredient derived from the seeds of Camellia japonica, commonly called tsubaki or Japanese camellia. Chemically, it consists of mono and diglycerides from camellia seed oil that have been reacted with an average of 60 units of ethylene oxide. This ethoxylation step makes the naturally oil based glycerides water dispersible, giving them the dual personality of oil and water affinity that formulators value.
Camellia oil has a long history in East Asian beauty rituals for its lightweight feel and skin smoothing properties. As modern cosmetic science advanced, chemists sought a way to harness those qualities in water based products. By attaching polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains to the native glycerides, they produced Peg-60 Tsubakiate Glycerides, first appearing in Japanese hair care in the late 1980s then spreading to global skin care and cleanser lines.
The manufacturing process begins with cold pressed camellia seed oil. The oil is split into mono and diglycerides, purified, then subjected to controlled ethoxylation where ethylene oxide gas reacts with the molecules under heat and pressure. The result is a creamy, lightly viscous liquid or soft paste that dissolves in water while still carrying the emollient traits of camellia oil.
You will spot Peg-60 Tsubakiate Glycerides in facial cleansers, micellar waters, makeup removing balms, moisturizers, sheet mask essences, lightweight lotions and hair conditioners. Its ability to bridge oil and water also makes it popular in hybrid products such as cleansing oils that rinse off with no residue.
Peg-60 Tsubakiate Glycerides’s Cosmetic Benefits/Uses
This versatile ingredient adds multiple technical benefits to personal care formulas
- Cleansing: Its amphiphilic structure lifts away makeup, sunscreen and everyday grime while allowing the impurities to rinse off with water so skin feels fresh without tightness
- Emulsifying: It binds oil and water phases into a stable, uniform mixture which helps creams stay smooth improves spreadability and prevents separation over time
Who Can Use Peg-60 Tsubakiate Glycerides
This gentle emulsifier and cleansing agent is generally considered suitable for most skin types including oily, combination, normal and dry skin because it helps remove grime without stripping natural lipids. Those with sensitive or compromised skin usually tolerate it well, although the polyethylene glycol portion may occasionally trigger irritation in extremely reactive complexions. Acne-prone users often appreciate its lightweight feel and low likelihood of clogging pores.
Peg-60 Tsubakiate Glycerides is derived from plant oil and synthetic ethylene oxide so it contains no animal ingredients, making it acceptable for vegans and vegetarians.
The ingredient is regarded as low risk for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding when used in rinse-off or leave-on cosmetics, but this is not medical advice. Expectant or nursing mothers should show any product they plan to use to their healthcare provider to be extra safe.
It is not known to cause photosensitivity, so it will not make skin more prone to sunburn. It also has a long record of safe use around the delicate eye area when formulated at appropriate levels.
Potential Side Effects/Adverse Reactions
Responses to topical Peg-60 Tsubakiate Glycerides vary from person to person. The effects below are possible yet unlikely for the average user when the ingredient is included at standard cosmetic levels.
- Mild skin irritation or transient redness
- Allergic contact dermatitis in individuals sensitive to polyethylene glycol derivatives
- Stinging or watering of the eyes if a high-foaming cleanser enters the ocular area
- Temporary dryness if the finished product is formulated with a high surfactant load and left on the skin too long
- Enhanced penetration of other ingredients through broken or inflamed skin which may intensify their effects
If any discomfort, rash or other adverse reaction develops stop using the product and seek guidance from a medical professional.
Comedogenic Rating
Rating: 1/5
Peg-60 Tsubakiate Glycerides is mainly composed of lightweight mono and diglycerides that have been heavily ethoxylated, making the molecules water soluble and less likely to sit in pores compared to heavier untreated oils. Formulation data and user reports show a very low tendency to form comedones, giving it a near non-comedogenic score.
Most people prone to acne or breakouts should find this ingredient compatible with their skin, especially in rinse-off or lightweight leave-on formats.
Because comedogenicity can rise if the ingredient is blended with high levels of occlusive oils or waxes in a formula, the overall product context still matters.
Summary
Peg-60 Tsubakiate Glycerides acts as a gentle cleanser and reliable emulsifier. Its pegylated camellia glycerides latch onto both oil and water, lifting impurities while helping oil and water phases mingle smoothly so creams stay uniform and easy to spread.
While not as famous as classic surfactants like sodium laureth sulfate, this ingredient has carved out a steady niche in Japanese and Korean skincare then steadily in global micellar waters, cleansing balms and lightweight lotions thanks to its mildness and silky feel.
Safety profiles and decades of cosmetic use mark it as low risk for irritation or pore clogging when used at normal levels, yet every skin is unique so it is wise to patch test any new product that contains it before full-face or full-body use.