POLYSORBATE 80

📋 Quick facts

Description: POLYSORBATE 80 — emulsifier, solubilizer.

All Functions: emulsifier, solubilizer

Quick Facts:

• Category: surfactant

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• Polysorbate 80 is a non-ionic detergent used as an emulsifier in pharmaceuticals, foods, and cosmetics
• It can help dissolve poorly water-soluble ingredients like quercetin, increasing solubility up to 3.6 times in lab conditions
• In skin safety testing with UV light exposure, polysorbate 80 showed no UV-related damage to skin cells
• Allergic reactions to polysorbate 80 are possible but uncommon; most people with PEG or polysorbate 80 allergies can safely receive products containing it
• At very high concentrations in lab settings, polysorbate 80 can affect nerve cell function, but this is not directly applicable to skincare use

📊 Comedogenicity

🛡️ Safety rating

Safety tier is a starting heuristic from regulatory status and comedogenic rating, not a dermatological verdict — see our Terms for the full disclaimer. Research confidence reflects how many real cited studies back this ingredient, not the strength of their findings.

🌍 Regulatory Status

💧 Skin Type Compatibility

⚠️ Don’t Combine With

📚 Research & Evidence

🔬 The Science

Polysorbate 80 is classified as a non-ionic detergent derived from polyethoxylated sorbitan and oleic acid (Mol Pain, 2023). Its primary role in skincare formulations is as an emulsifier—a substance that helps mix ingredients that normally don’t blend well together, like oils and water. #1: Solubility enhancement. One documented benefit in research is polysorbate 80’s ability to increase how well certain ingredients dissolve in water. In a study examining the antioxidant ingredient quercetin, adding polysorbate 80 increased its solubility between 2.87 to 3.63 times compared to water alone, depending on concentration used (J Public Health Afr, 2023). This matters because many beneficial skincare actives have naturally poor water solubility, so polysorbate 80 can help formulate them into usable products.

#2: UV safety profile. When researchers tested polysorbate 80 in nanoemulsion formulations (tiny droplet-based systems) on human skin fibroblasts under UVA light exposure, they found no UV-related damage. In fact, polysorbate 80 was identified as “one of the most promising candidates for skin-friendly emulsifiers in sensitive applications involving exposure to UV light” (Int J Pharm, 2024). However, this was lab-based testing on cells, not full human skin studies. #3: Allergy considerations. While allergic reactions to polysorbate 80 do occur, they appear uncommon. One study of 126 skin allergy tests found polysorbate 80 positivity in 12.7% of cases, with no statistically significant difference between people screened before potential exposure versus those with suspected reactions (Vaccines (Basel), 2023).

Notably, research on patients with confirmed polysorbate 80 allergies found that people with polysorbate 80 mono-allergy (allergy to polysorbate 80 alone, not cross-reacting with similar ingredients) tolerated products containing it without problems (J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract, 2023). The sources do not provide data on how common polysorbate 80 allergy is in the general population. One important note: At very high concentrations (0.9–250 micrograms per milliliter) in controlled lab experiments, polysorbate 80 affected how nerve cells function by influencing sodium channels (Mol Pain, 2023). However, the researchers conducting this study explicitly cautioned that “in vitro experiments using polysorbate 80 with neurons should be conducted with caution” and did not translate these findings to actual skincare safety concerns at typical product concentrations.

📄 Related Research

Matched by search — not necessarily verified support for every statement above.

• Ieven T et al. (2023). Endotyping of IgE-Mediated Polyethylene Glycol and/or Polysorbate 80 Allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract.
• Kim RE et al. (2023). Polysorbate 80 blocked a peripheral sodium channel, Na(v)1.7, and reduced neuronal excitability. Mol Pain.
• Steiner K et al. (2024). Surfactants for stabilization of dermal emulsions and their skin compatibility under UVA irradiation: Diacyl phospholipids and polysorbate 80 result in high viability rates of primary human skin cells. Int J Pharm.
• Erawati T et al. (2023). The effect of polysorbate 20 and polysorbate 80 on the solubility of quercetin. J Public Health Afr.
• Nappi E et al. (2023). Polyethylene Glycol and Polysorbate 80 Skin Tests in the Context of an Allergic Risk Assessment for Hypersensitivity Reactions to Anti-SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccines. Vaccines (Basel).

🧴 Products Containing POLYSORBATE 80

• Blend-a-Med Extra weiss
• Leo Bancroft Blissfully Bouncy Volumising Conditioner
• unilever, dove DOVE Crème Hydratante Corps Soie Pot 300ml
• ColourB4 Effaceur de coloration
• Oral B oral b complete
• Santé Verte Nature & care permanent colour chocolate
• Flux Fruit Mint
• Tiger Moon Retinol Night Cream
• Listerine pocketpaks
• Lidherma Cell active hidro cream
• blend-a-med extra frisch clean
• OralB Oral-B 3D White Arctic Fresh Tandpasta
• blend-a-med Milde Frische Clean 24 h Schutz
• Procter & Gamble Blend-a-med Rundumschutz Kräuter Clean
• blend-a-med Blend-a-med extra weiss
• blend-a-med blend-a-med Rundumschutz Doppelpack
• AZ Dentifricio Multi protezione Carie gel menta fresca
• Colgate
• Procter & Gamble Blend-a-med Classic Zahncreme
• Blend-a-med Extra Frisch Clean
• Milde Frische Clean
• Oral B Oral B 1 2 3 Extra fresh
• Fior di Magnolia Crema Mani Rapido Assorbimento con Estratto di Menta Acquatica e Aloe Vera
• Ceramol, Unifarmaco Spa Ceramol gel viso
• Babaria Gel + champú tonificante aloe vera
• Loreal norge as / slt Revitalift Natt 50ml Loreal
• Les Cosmetiques Crema para contorno de ojos booster plan
• Les Cosmetiques Booster regenerador les cosmetiques nº9 booster plan
• Nocibé Les Délices Sucre d’Orge
• Cosmia Mousse coiffante
• L’OREAL NORGE AS L’Oreal Brow Artist Plumper Brunette
• La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo (+) Unifiant Teinte Light
• Garnier Vitamin(e) C
• Listerine FreshBurst PocketPaks
• Listerine Breath strips
• Crest Crest+scope complete
• AZ Complete: Freschezza Delicata
• Crest, Crest Complete, Scope Active Foam + Whitening Minty Fresh Striped Dentifrice with Flouristat
• Crest, Procter & Gamble Plus Complete Extra Whitening Toothpaste
• StriVectin StriVectin Anti-Wrinkle Intensive Eye Cream