Polysorbates in Cosmetics: What They Are & How to Use

What are polysorbates?

Polysorbates are nonionic surfactants that function primarily as solubilizers and auxiliary emulsifiers in cosmetic, personal care, and some food and pharmaceutical products. They are especially useful for incorporating small amounts of essential or fragrance oils into water‑rich systems such as room sprays, body mists, and toners.

Sick of the “shake before use” factor in water-rich products? Polysorbates may be the solution you are looking for!

Chemically, polysorbates are produced in two steps: sorbitol is first dehydrated to sorbitan, then ethoxylated (reacted with ethylene oxide) and esterified with a fatty acid. The number in the name (for example, “20” in Polysorbate 20) refers to the approximate average number of ethylene oxide units in the polyoxyethylene chain, while the fatty acid type is specific to the grade.

• Polysorbate 20: polyoxyethylene (approximately 20) sorbitan monolaurate, derived from lauric acid.
• Polysorbate 60: olyoxyethylene (approximately 20) sorbitan monostearate, derived from stearic acid.
• Polysorbate 80: polyoxyethylene (approximately 20) sorbitan monooleate, derived from oleic acid.
  

Because they are nonionic and relatively mild, polysorbates are compatible with a wide range of anionic, cationic, and amphoteric surfactants and are used in products like facial mists, shampoos, body washes, and fragrances.

Polysorbate 20 and Polysorbate 80

Among the polysorbates, Polysorbate 20 and Polysorbate 80 are the most commonly used in fragrance and essential‑oil solubilization.

• Polysorbate 20 (polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monolaurate) is a clear to pale yellow liquid, nonionic surfactant and solubilizer based on lauric acid. It is widely used to disperse light essential and fragrance oils into water or water/alcohol bases for body sprays, room sprays, and toners.
  
• Polysorbate 80 (polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate) uses oleic acid instead of lauric acid and offers somewhat stronger solubilizing and wetting power, particularly for heavier or more hydrophobic oils. It is slightly darker in color, which can influence the appearance of very clear or color‑sensitive systems.

In practice, many formulators prefer Polysorbate 20 when acceptable clarity can be achieved, especially in fine fragrance and clear spray formats, and choose Polysorbate 80 when the oil blend is more challenging to solubilize.

How to use polysorbates in formulations

Polysorbates are typically used to keep essential oils and fragrance oils evenly dispersed, reducing or eliminating “shake before use” separation in water‑rich products. They are best suited to systems where the oil phase is relatively low (for example, sprays, toners, micellar waters) rather than high‑oil emulsions that require dedicated primary emulsifying waxes.

Practical usage guidance for essential/fragrance oils:

• Pre‑mix the polysorbate with the essential or fragrance oils before adding this blend into the water or water/alcohol base.
  
• A starting point for many systems is a 1:1 ratio of polysorbate to oil by weight (for example, 1 g polysorbate 20 to 1 g essential oil).
  
• Depending on the specific oil blend and desired clarity, you may need to increase to 2:1 or 3:1 polysorbate: oil. Some essential oils will remain slightly cloudy even with higher ratios, while others solubilize to a clear solution.
  
• If cloudiness or solubility issues occur, you can:
  
  • Ensure the polysorbate/oil mix is fully uniform before adding to the base.
  • Add the blend into the water phase with gentle mixing.
    
  • In some cases, gently increasing the processing temperature improves solubilization.
    

Ready to practice? Click here for our favorite Room Spray Recipe.

For education/testing, here are some general considerations to follow when creating a room/body spray:

• Base: 64 oz of a water‑based body and linen spray base that already contains a small amount of polysorbate.
  
• Add‑ins: 1.5 oz essential oil blend + 1.5 oz Polysorbate 20 (1:1 ratio), pre‑mixed, then incorporate into the base with thorough mixing
  

This type of ratio and process is consistent with common practice for essential il‑based sprays, but every formula should be validated for clarity, stability, and, where applicable, dermal exposure limits for specific essential oils.

Want help choosing the right solubilizer system?

If you tell us your base type (water-only vs alcohol/water), your fragrance/essential oil load, and whether you need crystal clarity or “acceptable haze,” we can recommend a starting approach (Polysorbate 20 vs 80, ratio range, and any compatibility watchouts). Don’t hesitate to reach out to our Customer Success Team!

Safety and trace contaminants

Polysorbates have a long history of use in cosmetics and have been evaluated by safety review bodies as safe for use at typical cosmetic concentrations when properly formulated. They are widely used in leave‑on and rinse‑off personal care, as well as in some food and pharmaceutical applications, which supports their general tolerability at normal use levels.

Because polysorbates are produced via ethoxylation, they can contain trace amounts of process‑related byproducts such as ethylene oxide and 1,4‑dioxane. Regulatory authorities, including the U.S. FDA and the EU’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, recognize that modern manufacturing and purification methods can reduce 1,4‑dioxane to very low levels (for example, below about 10 ppm) and consider such trace levels acceptable in finished cosmetics.