SORBITAN OLIVATE

📋 Quick facts

Description: SORBITAN OLIVATE — emulsifier, olive-oil derived.

All Functions: emulsifier, olive-oil derived

Quick Facts:

• Category: surfactant

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• Sorbitan Olivate is a surfactant—an ingredient that helps mix oil and water—made from sorbitol and olive fatty acids
• It’s considered safe for use in cosmetic products under current usage practices
• It typically causes minimal to mild skin irritation in testing
• It does not sensitize skin or cause allergic reactions in the vast majority of people
• Most products use it at less than 10% concentration

📊 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

Sorbitan Olivate belongs to a family of ingredients called sorbitan fatty acid esters, which are created by chemically combining sorbitol (a sugar alcohol) with fatty acids derived from olive oil. In skincare and cosmetics, these esters work as surfactants, meaning they help blend ingredients that don’t naturally mix well together, like oils and water (Int J Toxicol, 2002). #1: When absorbed by your skin or body, Sorbitan Olivate breaks down into its component parts—sorbitol and fatty acids—which your body can metabolize normally, since fatty acids are already present in your diet. #2: Safety testing shows it is generally a minimal to mild skin irritant, and it does not cause sensitization (allergic reactions) in guinea pig studies, which are standard models for predicting human skin sensitivity (Int J Toxicol, 2002).

#3: In human clinical patch testing—the gold standard for detecting contact dermatitis—sorbitan fatty acid esters were generally minimal to mild irritants and nonsensitizing, though it’s worth noting that a closely related ingredient, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, did produce allergic reactions in fewer than 1% of patients with suspected contact dermatitis (Int J Toxicol, 2002). The available research on Sorbitan Olivate specifically is limited; most safety data covers the broader family of sorbitan esters as a group. Current cosmetic formulations typically use these ingredients at concentrations below 10%, though they can legally be used up to 25% (Int J Toxicol, 2002).

📄 Related Research

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

• Lanigan RS et al. (2002). Final report on the safety assessment of sorbitan caprylate, sorbitan cocoate, sorbitan diisostearate, sorbitan dioleate, sorbitan distearate, sorbitan isostearate, sorbitan olivate, sorbitan sesquiisostearate, sorbitan sesquistearate, and sorbitan triisostearate. Int J Toxicol.

🧴 Products Containing SORBITAN OLIVATE

• Kneipp Sensitiv Handcreme Mandelöl
• TandheM Neurocosmetics,TandheM Active Botanical Eye Contour (15ml)
• Skinter Guard Face & body lotion Coconut Aloe Vera
• Tiger Moon Retinol Night Cream
• Léa Nature, So’ Bio étic BB cream texture légère perfecteur de teint – 01 beige nude
• Neutrogena Gel de Limpeza Facial Neutrogena Hydro Boost
• Neutrogena Hydro Boost Aqua-Gel
• JNTL CONSUMER HEALTH (NORWAY) AS, VAT 928430510 Bodylotion Cottontouch 300 ml
• Laboratoires Biocos, Lovea Crème visage protectrice SPF 50 anti-rides au Monoï de Tahiti
• Rogé Cavaillès Nutrissance Crème mains Nourrissante
• Tula Tula bright start
• Sexitive Skin shimmer Glitter Guest
• Trader Joe’s Ultra Hydrating Gel Moisturizer
• Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel
• Cetaphil Cetaphil Oil-Free Facial Moisturizer with Sunscreen SPF 35
• ATTITUDE Hand Cream
• EO Everyone Lotion Lavender + Aloe – Hand | Face| Body
• EO Everyone Lotion Lavender + Aloe – Hand | Face| Body
• Weleda Skin Food Lait Corps
• Skinfood Egg White Perfect Pore Cleansing Foam
• Supergoop Play Everyday Lotion SPF 50 with Sunflower Extract
• Sun Vital Sun Vital Sun Protection
• Tarte Sugar Rush – Squeezy Clean Face Wash
• Tarte Sugar Rush – Mini Squeezy Clean Face Wash
• Sephora Beauty insider
• CREAM.LY CREAM MY SKIN (Normal/Mixed/Oily)
• CREAM.LY CREAM MY SKIN (Antioxidant)
• CREAM.LY CREAM MY SKIN (Sensitive)
• CREAM.LY CREAM MY BODY
• CREAM.LY EXFOLIATE MY SKIN
• OleHenriksen,Ole Henriksen Banana Bright+ Instant Glow Moisturizer
• Thursday Plantation Macadamia Ultra Hydrating Lip Balm
• Cosmia Bio Crème anti-âge nuit bio à l’huile d’argan et acide hyaluronique
• Biocos, Kariline Lait corps nutritif au karité bio
• Eau thermake Jonzac Crème visage effet protecteur seconde peau
• Léa Nature, So’ Bio étic BB Cream Mon lait d’Ânesse SPF 10 – 01 beige lumière
• So Bio Etic Contour Yeux Et Lèvres Anti-âge Précieux Argan
• So’Bio Hydra AloeVera
• Equate beauty Hydration Gel
• fer à cheval crème mains thé blanc & yuzu